2,237 research outputs found
(SNP068) Louis Graves interviewed by Reed Engle, transcribed by Joy K. Stiles
No full textRecords an interview with Louis Graves, who grew up in Madison County, Virginia, not far from the site where President Herbert Hoover would construct a rustic retreat known as Rapidan Camp, and later as Camp Hoover. Hoover paid for the project out of his own funds and the camp was constructed by a detachment of U.S. Marines as a military exercise by March, 1929. Louis Graves recalls speeches given by President Hoover and other dignitaries in Madison, Va., as part of a day-long Hoover Day celebration on August 9, 1929. Graves relates that more than 10,000 people attended the event, including Virginia governor Harry F. Byrd, who arrived at the celebration aboard an Army reconnaissance blimp. Includes a discussion of the economic situation in Madison County in 1929, during a time of prolonged drought and at the onset of the Great Depression.
There is no audio recording for this interview; interview consists of transcript only.https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/snp/1123/thumbnail.jp
Huth (Ferdinand Louis) Papers
No full textReceipt (prescription) for a cure for corns by Mrs. M. W. Graves
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textFall 2011 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityLongtime faculty
Reflections
Page 8
new medical center
projects
Page 14
alumnus comic book
crusader
Page 22
SLU’s
ambassadors
show off
campus / Page 18
fa l l 2 011
features
8
Institutional
Knowledge
Ten longtime faculty members
share their life lessons.
— By Elizabeth
Harris Krasnoff
14
Collaboration and
Recreation
Two new Medical Center
facilities encourage
student interaction.
— By Marie Dilg
18
Walk This Way
SLU’s ambassadors show
prospective students a
personal side of campus.
— By Marie Dilg
22
Crusader With a Pen
Alumnus Denny O’Neil has
been the force behind many
comic superheroes.
— By Amy Garland
depar tments
{ contents }
2 | On Campus
Make a Difference Day • Record enrollment • Professor honored
in Ireland • SLU histories online • Expansion in Madrid • World
record set
6 | Billiken News
Academic honors • Basketball schedules
7 | Advancement News
A Q&A with Heather Rich, director of corporate and foundation
relations
25 | Class Notes
Catch up with classmates.
29 | In Memoriam
Remember those members of the SLU community who
recently died.
30 | Alumni Events
Find SLU alumni activities wherever you live.
32 | Perspective
A professor with SLU’s Legal Clinics reflects on his experiences.
33 | the last word
Letters to the editor
18
8
22
14
Volume 38, Issue 1
Editor
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
Contributors
Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94)
Amy Garland (A&S ’97)
Elizabeth Harris Krasnoff
“On Campus” news stories
University Communications
Medical Center Communications
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE Cover
SLU ambassadors
Back row (from left): Mary Michael Daunhauer,
Matt Satcher, Dani Trout
and Steve Siemborski
Middle row (from left): Alyssa Hermann
and Grant Podolski
Front row (from left): Leila Houshmand,
Nikki Pain and Jon Schwendeman
Photo by Steve Dolan
Design
Art Direction: Matt Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not necessarily those of the
University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs are welcome but will be returned only if
accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not
intended for publication should indicate that fact. The
editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all
mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall 39, One N. Grand
Blvd., St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept email at
[email protected] and fax submissions at (314) 977-
2249. Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
Worldwide circulation: 115,100
© 2011, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without
permission is prohibited.
F A L L 2 0 0 4 W I N T E R 2 0 0 5
Being held back does not have to hold you back.
(My first grade teacher failed me for not knowing
English. Today, I have a master’s degree in linguis-tics
and a Ph.D. in sociolinguistics.)
Never back away from a challenge when the best
interests of the University are at stake.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and
dignity. No matter who they are, what they do for
a living, where they come
from, what language they
speak or how you may
have encountered them.
When SLU students tell
you that they want to
change the world after they
graduate, believe them.
Illumination can
happen during your
lowest moments. Just ask
Saint Ignatius.
Committees, commis-sions
and blue ribbon pan-els
are fine, but taking action is what really matters.
Always be open to new ideas from unexpected
places.
Loyalty is a very, very important quality.
It is important to cherish every day. Life has so
much to offer; there are so many people to meet, so
many places to go and so many things to learn.
For any community to succeed, education, gov-ernment
and business must work together.
It’s OK to dream. I have been accused of dream-ing
big, and I think it has paid off.
A college or university is only as good as the
graduates it produces. That’s why SLU is great. (I
am not biased, of course.)
The Billikens are the best student-athletes in col-lege
sports. (Again, no bias.)
Trust is a renewable resource, but it must be
renewed. It must be earned and then cultivated. It
is not a “one and done” commodity.
When it comes to health, there is nothing like
having good genes. (Both my Mamma and Papa
lived to be 98.)
The transformative power of a Jesuit education is
often realized later in one’s life.
Sometimes, you can make sweeping changes that
almost no one comments on, but raise parking
fees, and you won’t hear the end of it.
Too many peaceful people get caught up in the
evils of war — something I saw firsthand in Beirut
during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War.
Faith with an open and honest heart can bring
people together. It can foster hope, understanding
and peace.
We are all different, but we are also more alike
than we might like to admit.
True friends not only push you forward, they keep
you grounded in reality.
There is nothing quite like the unconditional love
of a dog, particularly after a long day at work.
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
President
{ president’s message }
On page 8 of this issue of Universitas, you will find some of our wise and experienced faculty
members offering their insights about what they have learned during their tenure at Saint
Louis University. And while I know I have not been here as long as some of them, I do think
my 24 years have offered opportunities for growth and better understanding.
So, here’s my take on what I’ve learned.
2 U N I V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u f a l l ’ 1 1 U N I V E R S I T A S 3
{ on campus }
photo by chad williams
photo by kevin lowder
MAKING A
DIFFERENCE
Senior nursing student Linda
Trinh paints at Gateway Middle
School during Make A Difference
Day on Oct. 29. More than 3,000
students, faculty and staff partici-pated
in SLU’s 2011 Make A Dif-ference
Day. This record number of
volunteers served at more than 130
area schools, non-profit organiza-tions,
churches, individual homes
and community facilities, spending
the day painting, planting and
cleaning up, as well as providing
activities at some locations.
HOMECOMING FUN: Alumni
and their families enjoy the
Billiken Tailgate during Saint
Louis University’s Homecoming
Weekend, Sept. 23-25. More
than 3,000 people attended
this year’s Homecoming. The
weekend also included campus
tram tours, faculty lectures, the
50-year Golden Billiken reunion,
a soccer game and fireworks.
Next year’s Homecoming
Weekend will be Sept. 28-30.
To view more photos from
the 2011 Homecoming, visit
the Saint Louis University
Alumni Page on Facebook.
t h e A R T S a t S L U
Quilt exhibition
unfolds at SLUMA
The Saint Louis University Museum of Art is
presenting “Threads of Tradition II: St. Louis
Quilters” through Dec. 23. The exhibit displays
the work of local quilters. More than 40 quilts,
featuring various patterns and quilting tech-niques,
showcase the talents involved in the art
of quilting. Quilt styles include the charm, the
“crazy” and the memory quilt. SLUMA’s hours
are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sun-day.
For more information, visit sluma.slu.edu.
St. Francis screen, Adrian Kellard, 1985. Latex
on wood with hinges. Collection of Antonia
Lasicki and William Devia, Niskayuna, N.Y.
Bali High, pieced by Pamela Nihiser,
quilted by Cheri Vollmer, 2010.
MOCRA shows
work of Kellard
The Museum of Contemporary Religious Art’s
latest exhibition is “Adrian Kellard: The Learned
Art of Compassion,” on display through
Dec. 11. Kellard had six solo shows and was
included in more than 25 group exhibitions
at the time of his death in 1991. His work has
been featured in exhibitions at the Isabella
Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and the
Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle, among
others. MOCRA’s hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday through Sunday. For more information,
visit mocra.slu.edu.
SLU ranks high on several lists
U.S.News & World Report once again has recognized
Saint Louis University as one of the top 100
universities in the country. In the 2012 edition of “America’s
Best Colleges,” SLU ranked 90th among the more than
280 national universities in the country — a list topped by
Harvard, Princeton and Yale. The ranking placed SLU among
the top five U.S. Jesuit universities for the ninth year in a
row. U.S. News also gave high marks to the undergraduate
programs in entrepreneurship (No. 13) and international
business (No. 16).
Additionally, SLU has earned national recognition for
community service by Washington Monthly. In its recent
“2011 College Rankings” issue, the magazine named SLU No.
2 on its list of universities that participate in the most com-munity
service. Overall, the University was listed 94th out of
258 colleges making a “contribution to the public good.” The
Washington Monthly rankings followed the announcement
that SLU made the President’s Higher Education Commu-nity
Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a
school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and
civic engagement.
New students
boost
enrollmentS
aint Louis University has
enrolled one of the largest
classes in its history, welcoming
1,707 freshmen and 401 trans-fer
students to SLU this fall.
SLU’s total enrollment is now
14,073, an all-time record.
The freshmen also are among
SLU’s brightest ever. The mean
grade point average of the
class is 3.77, and the average
ACT score is 27. The class also
includes 246 honor students.
The class of 2015 was cel-ebrated
during SLU’s annual
new student convocation in Au-gust
at Chaifetz Arena. Univer-sity
President Lawrence Biondi,
S.J., was on hand to address the
more than 2,700 people in at-tendance
and welcome the new
students to SLU.
Hotel Ignacio garners awards
The Landmarks Association of St. Louis has selected
Hotel Ignacio as one of the year’s “Most Enhanced
Buildings.” The hotel also was named a “Development of the
Year” by the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Development
Corp. SLU was one of only five projects chosen by city of-ficials
as top developments “that most dramatically convert a
catalytic vision for the city into bricks and mortar.”
SLU and the Lawrence Group spent nearly a year trans-forming
the 100-year-old structure into a boutique hotel.
The major rehabilitation project, which began in June 2010,
employed four architects, 10 interior designers and 65 differ-ent
subcontractors.
New students listen to a speaker
during convocation.
Photo by Jeffrey Vaughn
Photo by steve dolan
KEY INITIATIVE: In August, SLU officials
signed an “All Steinway School Initiative.”
The designation recognizes an institution’s
commitment to excellence. On hand for
the signing in College Church were (from
left): Michael Barber, S.J., dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Manoj
Patankar, vice president for academic
affairs; Gerry Malzone, vice president,
Steinway; Susan Lutz, institutional sales
director of Steinway and Sons; Dr. Pamela
Youngdahl Dees, associate professor of fine
and performing arts-music (seated); David
Slan, Steinway Piano Gallery president;
and Robert L. Hughes, associate professor
of fine and performing arts-music.
KITCHEN RENOVATION:
This summer, SLU’s Campus
Kitchen moved to a new
location in Reinert Hall. The
Kitchen was previously
located in DeMattias Hall.
The new location provides
additional space as well
as modern equipment that
students and volunteers use
to prepare the more than
2,500 meals delivered to
those in need each month.
4 U N I V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u f a l l ’ 1 1 U N I V E R S I T A S 5
11 acres of sod planted in
the stadium
68 tons of structural and
miscellaneous steel
used to support the
Education Union
1,100 linear feet of copper
lines to distribute
water throughout the
Education Union
1,800 cubic yards of concrete
used to construct the
Education Union
13,025
tons of materials
recycled or reused
during construction of
the Education Union
and stadium
27,000 cubic yards of fill
used to construct the
stadium
SPAIN
EXPANSION:
The University has
purchased a building
in Madrid located at
Amapolas 3, a half-block
from SLU’s
Padre Rubio Hall.
The new building,
named San Ignacio
Hall, was acquired
this summer from the
Marist Fathers and is
undergoing interior
demolition. It should
be completed in July.
STREET LIGHTS:
New blue lights
glow along Olive
and Locust streets,
signaling to visitors
that they have arrived
in the SLU-Midtown
neighborhood. In
partnership with
area businesses,
the energy-efficient
LED lights have
been installed on
Hotel Ignacio, the
West Locust Lofts,
Triumph Grill, the
Moto Museum, the
Drake Apartments,
the Field House and
other buildings.
News Briefs
Spanning more than three dozen specialties, 157 doctors from SLUCare were
selected for St. Louis Magazine’s 2011 “Best Doctors” list. The list is based on the
annual “Best Doctors in America” database, which considers more than one million
peer evaluations to create a directory of approximately 30,000 doctors.
Dr. Teri Murray (Nurs ’79, Grad ’93, ’97), dean of the School of Nursing, was inducted
as a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, the highest recognition one can
achieve in nursing. The induction took place on Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C. Of nearly
3 million U.S. nurses, only 1,600 are fellows in the American Academy of Nursing.
For the third consecutive year, Saint Louis University was selected for G.I. Jobs’ list of
“Military Friendly Schools.” The publication’s 2012 list honors the top 15 percent of
colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s
veterans and students.
Saint Louis University received the Storm Ready University Award from the National
Weather Service. SLU is the first school in the metropolitan area to have success-fully
completed the program. During the past year several faculty, staff and students
became official storm spotters.
{ on campus }
Banpu leaders establish
endowe d chair
SLU has received a 300,000, most of
which went directly into the local economy
for services such as student housing, food
and transportation. The Kilteasheen project
excavated more than 150 skeletons out of a
medieval cemetery of nearly 3,000 graves.
Center for Intercultural
Studies unveiled
SLU has established a new Center for Intercultural
Studies and named associate professor of history
Dr. Michal Rozbicki its first director. The center’s mission
is three-fold: to foster comprehensive, interpretive research
on the interactions among distinct cultures; to provide
training in intercultural leadership; and to promote the
building of bridges among the various cultures of the
world. The center aims to become an interdisciplinary
degree-granting entity by 2016.
BY THE NUMBERS: at the Health Sciences Education Union and the Medical Center Stadium
Libra r ies launch
digital SLU histo r ies
The Saint Louis University Libraries’
newest digital collection, “Saint Louis
University Histories,” is now online. The
catalog contains six volumes — some long
out of print — from the libraries’ Special
Collections. Each volume is online in its
entirety and full-text searchable.
The University histories in the collec-tion
feature three works by the late SLU historian William B. Faherty,
S.J., including Better the Dream: Saint Louis University and Community
1818–1968; Parks College: Legacy of an Aviation Pioneer; and Men to
Remember: Jesuit Teachers at Saint Louis University. The collection also
includes the titles Saint Louis University: 150 Years by Rita Adams;
Historical Sketch of the Saint Louis University by Walter Hill, S.J.; and
Memorial Volume of the Diamond Jubilee of St. Louis University, which is
a short history of SLU written in 1904 for the St. Louis World’s Fair.
Visit the online collection at libraries.slu.edu.
SLU helps St. Louis’ sustainability
Thanks in large part to support from SLU’s Center for Sustainability,
the City of St. Louis was chosen as one of only 10 cities nationally to
participate in the development of the STAR Community Index software
platform, a tool that local governments across the globe will use to help
create the sustainable cities of the future.
The developing organization, the International Council for Local En-vironmental
Initiatives, was founded in 1990 at the United Nations’ first
“World Congress of Local Governments for a Sustainable Future.” Since
then, ICLEI has grown to represent more than 1,200 local governments
across 70 countries in sustainable development initiatives, such as the
creation of the STAR Community Index software.
The software will help St. Louis’ sustainability efforts by measuring
and tracking local sustainability assets and barriers, with the goal of
integrating the data into a
long-term sustainable develop-ment
plan for the region.
World record set at SLU
More than 425 players, parents and fans kicked their way to a Guinness World Record in
September. The Great St. Louis Soccer Dribble at Saint Louis University’s Hermann
Stadium officially recorded 428 participants and had them dribbling for six minutes — set-ting
the world record for the most people dribbling a soccer ball at once.
The event was organized by the non-profit America SCORES St. Louis, a program that
uses soccer, poetry and service learning to aid urban youth. The University, along with several
corporate sponsors and volunteers, provided the resources necessary to shuffle kids and their
parents around the SLU field. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay (Law ’80) was on hand to help
count down the six minutes of dribbling required to secure the record. All funds raised from
the event benefited America SCORES St. Louis’ youth programs.
submitted Photo
Photo by kevin lowder
Photo by dan donovan
Photo by ángel garcía lópez
Photo by chad williams
Photo by chad williams
6 U N I V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u f a l l ’ 1 1 U N I V E R S I T A S 7
What is corporate and foundation relations?
Our office works closely with corporate lead-ers
to determine the best available resources
to meet the needs of their businesses and
industries, whether through recruitment, re-search,
education and training, and/or service
opportunities. Simply put, we help organiza-tions
make the right connections on campus.
Our primary focus is identifying and securing
support for SLU initiatives. On the front end,
we research the funding guidelines and
priorities of the funders and build relation-ships
prior to submitting requests for funding.
We understand that making an investment
in the University is an important decision for
our partners. Therefore, we strive to provide
the great stewardship to ensure long-lasting,
mutually beneficial relationships.
Why is it important for corporations and
foundations to support SLU?
The days of academic research and scholar-ships
fully funded by federal sources are over.
This makes support from private funders very
important to the University. Faculty research-ers
look to corporations and foundations
as investors and collaborators to continue
advancing knowledge and research in fields
such as medicine, engineering, business,
theology and many others.
Today, corporations look to universities to
recruit the best talent for their organiza-tions.
A SLU education is unique because
students not only receive instruction from
skilled faculty, but they also are challenged
to become servant-leaders. This preparation
offers companies high-potential talent with an
ethical foundation.
In addition, the University has facilities and
equipment that are beneficial to corporations.
For instance, Busch Student Center, Chafeitz
Arena and the Saint Louis University Museum
of Art are great places to host clients and
employees.
What services and incentives can SLU
offer corporations?
Our office provides a single access point to
all areas of the University. We communicate
frequently with the other University offices,
such as career services, research develop-ment
and services, procurement, and event
services. We work closely with deans and ad-ministrators
throughout campus. We have a
vast knowledge of current research projects,
alumni act
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textWinter 2014 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis Universitywinter 2014
Oriflamme
Marks 50 Years
Page 12
Center for
Global Citizenship
Page 16
Alumnus Jimmie
Edwards
Page 18
Art Exhibit with
Local Roots
Page 22
Page 8
C O N T E N T S
f e a t u r e s d e p a r tme n t s
8 | SLU Downtown
The School of Law has moved into its new home in the
heart of St. Louis’ legal community.
— By Lauren Brucker
12 | Warm Welcome
Oriflamme, the student welcome organization, celebrated
its 50th anniversary this fall.
— By Amy Garland
16 | Going Global
The new Center for Global Citizenship has transformed
the former West Pine Gym.
— By Danielle Lacey
18 | The Power of Education
Alumnus Judge Jimmie Edwards is redefining education
for troubled youth in St. Louis.
— By Laura Geiser
22 | No Place Like Home
The latest exhibition at the Saint Louis University
Museum of Art has local ties.
— By Andrew Walker
2 | On Campus
San Ignacio Hall ///
Presidential search update
/// SLU’s latest honors ///
NASA collaboration ///
Health clinic relocation
6 | Biliken News
Basketball schedules
/// Baseball coach
recognized
7 | Advancement News
The impact of
scholarship gifts
23 | Clas Notes
Catch up with classmates.
28 | In Memoriam
Remembering those
members of the SLU
community who recently
died
30 | Al u mni Events
SLU alumni activities
across the country
32 | Perspective
A homily by the late
SLU professor John
Kavanaugh, S.J.
33 | The Last Word
Letters to the editor
Photo by JAMES VISSER
Law students in the
Louis Riethmann Pavilion on
the 12th floor of Scott Hall.
Volume 40, Issue 1
Editor
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
contributors
Lauren Brucker
Amy Garland (A&S ’97)
Danielle Lacey
Katie O’Connor (A&S ’97)
Andrew Walker
On Campus news stories
University Communications
Medical Center Communications
Billiken Media Relations
ON THE Cover
Joe and Loretta Scott Hall, the new home of
the School of Law, in downtown St. Louis.
Photo by James Visser
Design
Art Direction: Matt Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not necessarily those of the
University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts
and photographs are welcome but will be returned
only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed
envelope. Letters to the editor must be signed,
and letters not intended for publication should
indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right
to edit all items. Address all mail to Universitas,
DuBourg Hall 39, One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis,
Mo. 63103. We accept email at universitas@
slu.edu and fax submissions at 314-977-2249.
Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
One N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
universitas.slu.edu
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
Worldwide circulation: 121,150
© 2014, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part
without permission is prohibited.
F A L L 2 0 0 4 W I N T E R 2 0 0 5
It is a pleasure to take this
opportunity to address
Saint Louis University
alumni via Universitas. As a
longtime reader of this maga-zine,
it is certainly a different
experience to be writing a mes-sage
for it.
As you may know, I have spent
the past 18 years of my career at
SLU serving as the University’s
general counsel. So in August I
did not anticipate being asked
to become SLU’s interim pres-ident.
Though the request was
unexpected and I had been perfectly content in
my position as a university attorney, I could not
say no. Saint Louis University is an institution
I truly love and have been honored to serve, so
taking on this new role was the right thing to
do.
Since my appointment became effective on
Sept. 2, I have gained an even greater appre-ciation
for the importance and impact of this
outstanding institution. As general counsel, I
met and worked with many people across the
University, but as interim president I have got-ten
to know so many more who are equally as
passionate about Saint Louis University and
about Jesuit education as I am.
In October I had the privilege of attending
a historic meeting with the superior general of
the Society of Jesus, Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., who
was visiting from Rome. Held in Chicago and
hosted by the Association of Jesuit Colleges
and Universities, the gathering included the
presidents and board chairs from all 28 U.S.
Jesuit colleges and universities. It truly was an
honor for me to join this august group of lead-ers
at this first-ever meeting of its kind.
During his remarks Father Nicolás reminded
us of how the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola,
founder of the Jesuits, can inspire us today. He
said: “In the understanding of St. Ignatius, the
principal function of a leader is to help the
members of a community grow to become the
living presence of God in the world.”
Perhaps it was the timing, but that statement
struck a chord with me. I always had been aware
of the University’s efforts to encourage growth
and transformation. But as interim president I
know I am seeing Saint Louis University in an
entirely new light.
I am meeting students who
truly embrace our Catholic,
Jesuit values. Whether serving
their fellow students, tutoring
young people or serving meals
to the poor, they truly live our
mission.
I also am meeting faculty
who fully embrace their roles
as leaders and show our stu-dents
how “to become the living
presence of God in the world.”
Our professors teach at prisons,
create healthier school lunches
for local districts and travel the
world to aid indigent communities, assisting
with everything from health care to clean water
wells.
Finally, I am meeting alumni who are living
the lessons they learned at Saint Louis Uni-versity.
In November I started gathering with
alumni groups to provide an update on all of
the great things happening at the University
and to answer questions about SLU. The first
event was held in St. Louis, and in December
I met with alumni in Chicago. In the spring I
plan to travel to even more cities to hold these
information-sharing sessions.
For me, the best parts of these meetings come
before and after my remarks, when I have time
to talk one-on-one with our alumni. I have met
so many SLU graduates who are making a dif-ference
in our world in big and small ways. They
truly illustrate for me the power and promise of
a Saint Louis University education.
I also have enjoyed experiencing the enthu-siasm
our alumni have for their alma mater.
Indeed, Saint Louis University is a wonderful
place, and I am humbled to be at the helm, at
least for a little while.
Please know I am always interested in hear-ing
from alumni. If you would like to reach
out to me, please send an email message to
[email protected].
William R. Kauffman
Interim President
P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E
2 | U N I V E R S I T A S | w w w. s l u . e d u wi n t e r ’ 1 4 | U N I V E R S I T A S | 3
Presidential
Search Underway
In September, the Sa int L oui s
University board of trustees officially
launched the search for a new university
president by establishing a search com-mittee
and by engaging the consulting
firm AGB Search. The search commit-tee
is chaired by trustee Jim Smith, and its members are:
James Burshek, S.J. (A&S ’69), trustee
Anne Gagen (Cook ’72, Grad Cook ’76), trustee
Dr. Jeffrey Gfeller, professor and chairman, psychology
department, College of Arts and Sciences
John Griesbach, professor, School of Law
Al Litteken, trustee
Dr. Teri Murray (Nurs ’79, Grad Nurs ’93, E&PS ’97),
dean, School of Nursing
Dr. Frank O’Donnell, trustee
Vidur Sharma, president, Student Government Association
Patrick Sly (Grad Cook ’77), vice chairman of the board
and trustee
Dr. Jane Turner (A&S ’85, Grad ’91, Med ’92), president,
Faculty Senate
This fall, Smith and AGB Search’s managing partner, Dr.
Jamie Ferrare, met with various University groups to discuss the
presidential search and to learn about the characteristics and
qualities that the SLU community seeks in its next president.
They received input from hundreds of people via direct meet-ings
and emails.
In October, the committee released the presidential position
description, which was approved by the board. This description
can be found online at slu.edu/presidential-search.
The committee is now in the next phase of the search, which
includes identifying prospective candidates and discussing
SLU’s presidential position with them. In January, the search
committee will work to narrow the candidate list to approx-imately
two or three candidates who can be proposed to the
board for review.
“We are very enthused about all the advantages that Saint
Louis University has to offer a prospective president,” Smith
said. “And speaking for the search committee, I can assure you
we will do everything possible to find a great new leader for
Saint Louis University.”
Accolades for SL U ’s
Academics, Service and Value
Ranked among the top Jesuit universities in the coun-try,
Saint Louis University continues to earn praise from
new sources as well as established ones. Here are some of the
University’s most recent honors.
University Dedicates
San Ignacio Hall
in Madrid
Saint Louis University’s Spanish presence
continues to grow. In September, the
University celebrated the opening of its
newest building in Madrid, San Ignacio Hall.
The recently renovated, 26,000-square-foot
building nearly doubles the size
of SLU-Madrid and adds a new library,
classroom space, art and dance studios,
and a restaurant. Photo by Ángel García López
o n c a m p u s
Princeton Review
best college
Saint Louis University made
the Princeton Review’s The
Best 378 Colleges: 2014
Edition. Only about 15 percent
of America’s 2,500 four-year
colleges are profiled in the book.
The profile of SLU highlights
its “solid academic programs”
and sustainability efforts. The
Princeton Review also called
SLU a place where “service,
social justice and political
awareness are stressed at
every level of education.”
Top Marks for Commitment to Service
For the third year in a row, Washington Monthly ranked SLU
among the top five universities in the nation for community
service. The publication looks at schools’ contributions to
the public good in three categories: social mobility, research
and service. SLU was No. 4. The University also earned list-ings
as “Top Jesuit School” and “Top Faith-Based School,”
as well as second place on the list of top private institutions.
In addition, SLU was one of a handful of institutions rec-ognized
at the President’s Interfaith and Community Service
Campus Challenge National Gathering in September.
Started by President Barack Obama in 2011, the chal-lenge
calls for campuses to increase interfaith service and
engagement over the course of one year. The University was
honored for hosting nearly 100 interfaith events.
Finally, SLU placed fifth on Hercampus.com’s 2013 list of
“The Most Charitable Schools.” Hercampus.com is a colle-giate
guide and news network for women college students.
Kiplinger’s
best values in
private colleges
The University was recognized
for affordability and academic
quality among Kiplinger’s “Best
Values in Private Colleges.”
The 2014 list includes the
top 200 private colleges
in the country. Saint Louis
University has appeared on
the list multiple times.
Sierra Club
cool school
SLU was named one of
Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools,”
an honor given by the
environmental organization
to colleges and universities
around the country that are
committed to sustainability.
The list recognizes green
accomplishments and
efforts, such as faculty
and departments engaged
in sustainability research,
and sustainability-themed
courses or curricula.
CollegesofDistinction.com
college of
distinction
One of six Missouri schools —
and the only institution from St.
Louis — to make the 2013-14
list, the University was selected
for its commitment to four
areas: engaged students, great
teaching, vibrant community
and successful outcomes.
SLU was also selected as a
“Catholic College of Distinction.”
Smith
4 | U N I V E R S I T A S | w w w. s l u . e d u wi n t e r ’ 1 4 | U N I V E R S I T A S | 5
SL U ’s Free Medical
Clinic Relocates
in North St. Louis
Sa int Louis Univer s it y’s Hea lth
Resource Center, a free clinic oper-ated
by medical school students under the
guidance of SLU faculty physicians, cele-brated
its 20th anniversary of caring for
the underserved and underinsured with
a move to a newer, larger facility in north St. Louis. The new site is known as
the Jesuit Health Resource Center.
Dr. Eva Frazer, a former member of SLU’s board of trustees, and her hus-band
Steven Roberts donated the space.
The new clinic has a large patient waiting room, six patient exam rooms, a
social work room, a conference room, multipurpose rooms, expanded lab space
and a classroom. With the additional space, SLU is exploring the possibility of
offering other services.
Last year the Health Resource Center served more than 1,000 patients at
primary care, well women and pediatrics clinics. About 73 percent lacked
insurance.
Students began seeing patients in the new space during their regular
Saturday morning session late this summer.
NIH Taps SL U to Bid on Nearly
1 billion in projects to study
infectious diseases, including emerging threats.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the NIH,
has funded vaccine research at SLU since 1989. The new contract represents
what likely is the largest research contract or grant in the University’s history.
SLU received an “Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity” contract with
an estimated value of up to 951
million for the contract duration. Only centers accepted as VTEUs can bid
on specific projects. This is a change in the federal funding mechanism for
vaccine research, said Dr. Robert Belshe, director of the Center for Vaccine
Development and principal investigator on the project.
Business EnDowed
Professor Named
The John Cook School of Business has
appointed Dr. Bidisha Chakrabarty,
associate professor of finance, to the Edward
Jones Endowed Professorship in Finance.
Edward Jones created the endowed pro-fessorship
in 2007 to recognize an expert in
finance who provides academic leadership
through teaching, research and service.
Chakrabarty joined the business school
facult y in 2003. She has received the
Outstanding Faculty Award given by the
John Cook School of Business Alumni
Board, the Kwak Research Award for the
best research productive faculty, the ICRIER
policy paper grant and the National Stock
Exchange of India Research Initiative Grant.
Chakrabarty is a lso a consultant to
Beyond Housing, an organization that
helps families facing foreclosure. She is an
author and researcher on the topics of mar-ket
microstructure, securities regulation,
disclosure and market reaction, and market
design and price discovery.
Parks
Students,
NASA
Launch
Camera
into Space
COPPER (SLU-
01), Saint Louis
Univer s i t y ’s f i r s t
spacecraft designed,
bui l t , t e s t e d and
operated by students
at Parks College of
Engineering, Aviation
and Technology, launched Nov. 19 from the Mid-Atlantic
Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island, Va. The Air Force
Research Laboratory and NASA Missouri Space Grant
funded the project development, and the launch of
COPPER was sponsored by NASA.
COPPER is a one kilogram, 10-centimeter cube and is
made of commercially available spacecraft parts and stu-dent-
developed electronics.
The mission tests the effectiveness of a commercial infra-red
camera for in-space navigation and object detection, as
well as observes the Earth in the infrared spectrum.
For the next 12 months, Parks College students
will operate COPPER from a radio control station in
McDonnell Douglas Hall on the SLU campus. The space-craft
will de-orbit naturally in less than four years.
COPPER is a product of the Space Systems Research
Laboratory, which is led by Dr. Michael Swartwout and
Dr. Sanjay Jayaram of the department of aerospace and
mechanical engineering, and Dr. Kyle Mitchell of the
department of electrical and computer engineering. More
than 50 undergraduate and graduate students worked to
create COPPER during the past three years.
Class
of 2017
boasts
high
marks
This fall, SLU
welcomed one
of the largest and
most academically
gifted freshman
classes in University
history. The Class of
2017’s credentials
include a mean high
school GPA of 3.81
and an average
ACT score of 27.6.
Geographically,
44 states and
24 countries are
represented in this
year’s freshman
class, and nearly 75
percent of SLU��s
new students
hail from outside
the St. Louis
metropolitan area.
By The Numbers
2013 Make A Difference Day:
SLU’s 16th annual day of
service in October was one of
the largest in University history.
TIAA-CREF was the primary
financial sponsor for the event.
3,691 participants
91% of the volunteers were students.
312 faculty, staff, alumni and
parents participated.
197 Kappa Delta sorority sisters made
the largest volunteer team.
140 community organizations, schools,
churches and homes benefited —
the most sites in the event’s history.
News Bri e fs
University President Emeritus Lawrence Biondi,
S.J., received the 2013 Mayor’s Award for his influence
on economic development in the city of St. Louis.
During Biondi’s tenure, the University had a major
impact on the region’s economy; an independent
study found that SLU generated $715.5 million in
economic impact during 2011 alone. St. Louis Mayor
Francis G. Slay (Law ’80) presented the award in
October.
J. Joe Adorjan (Cook ’63, Grad Cook ’67), chairman
of the University’s board of trustees, was awarded the
Hungarian Order of Merit-Knight’s Cross, Hungary’s
highest state honor. Adorjan is the honorary general
consul of Hungary as well as the founder of the
Hungarian-Missouri Educational Partnership, which
links four Missouri universities, including SLU, with five
Hungarian universities to enhance the education of
emerging leaders who will help create a lasting bond
between the two countries.
Dr. Alexander Garza (PH ’03), the former assistant
secretary for health affairs and chief medical officer
for the Department of Homeland Security, has joined
the faculty of the College for Public Health and Social
Justice. Garza is associate dean for public health
practice and associate professor of epidemiology.
David Cassens is the new dean for University
Libraries. He has served as interim University librarian
since June 2012. Previously he served as assistant
university librarian for administration and director of
Pius XII Memorial Library. He has worked at SLU for
nearly 15 years.
In October, Dr. Mildred Mattfeldt-Beman (Grad E&PS
’92), chair of the department of nutrition and dietetics,
received a Medallion Award from the Academy of
Nutrition and Dietetics for guiding her department
to national prominence. Mattfeldt-Beman has built
a program that is a community resource — advising
congressmen, creating healthier school lunches and
promoting business in the region.
Dr. Mike Shaner, professor at the John Cook School
of Business, has been named the “Best Management
Professor” by the World Education Congress in
Mumbai. Shaner was recognized as a thinker and doer
who served as a “role model and a believer in change.”
He joined the SLU faculty in 1974.
Dr. Diana Carlin, associate vice president for graduate
education and international initiatives, was one of 11
U.S. administrators selected by the U.S. and French
Fulbright commissions to participate in a two-week
seminar in France in October. The purpose was to help
both the Americans and French better understand
the other’s higher education and research areas,
and to explain partnership opportunities with French
universities.
o n c a m p u s
HOMECOMING 2013:
Saint Louis University’s 2013 Homecoming
and Family Weekend drew nearly 2,500 people
to campus Sept. 27-29. The celebration
included the popular golf cart parade, with
the theme “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and
celebrations of SLU’s Golden Billikens,
members of the class of 1963 and earlier.
The weekend was capped off with a win by
the men’s soccer team and a spectacular
fireworks display. The 2014 Homecoming
will be Sept. 25-28. Photo by Steve Dolan
Olivia Johnson gets her ears examined
at the clinic by faculty volunteer
Dr. Marilyn Maxwell, professor of
internal medicine and pediatrics.
A student building COPPER (SLU-01).
From left: Dr. Scott Safranski, interim business dean;
Chakrabarty; Robert J. Ciapciak (Grad Cook ’82) of
Edward Jones; and Interim President William Kauffman.
pictured: Students packing meals for Feed My Starving Children on Make A Difference Day. Photo by Kevin Lowder
Photo by Kevin Lowder
Photo by Katie O’Connor
6 | U N I V E R S I T A S | w w w. s l u . e d u wi n t e r ’ 1 4 | U N I V E R S I T A S | 7
When Saint Louis University freshman Michael Milek got
a call with scholarship news last spring, he wasn’t imme-diately
sure the news was good. “At first I didn’t think I got it
because of the tone of the caller,” said Milek, an athletic training
major in Doisy College of Health Sciences. “However, he told me
that I received it, and I was really happy.”
The Philadelphia native had been awarded the Martin Luther
King Jr. Scholarship, a merit-based University scholarship granted
to students with a mix of academic achievement, demonstrated
leadership and commitment to service. The scholarship w
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textFall 2008 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityINSIDE:
A Q&A with
John Kavanaugh, S.J.
page 12
Emergency Preparedness
page 16
First Class of Presidential
Scholars
page 19
16
2
Volume 35, Issue 1
Editor
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
Contributors
Clayton Berry
David Chilenski (Cook ’98)
Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94)
Nick Sargent
“On Campus” news stories
University Communications
Medical Center Communications
Billiken Media Relations
Design
Art Direction: Matt Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not necessarily those of the
University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs are welcome but will be returned only if
accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not
intended for publication should indicate that fact. The
editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all
mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall 39, 221 N. Grand,
St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept e-mail at utas@
slu.edu and fax submissions at (314) 977-2249.
Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
and mailed by Specialty Mailing.
Worldwide circulation: 118,600
© 2008, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
FALL 2004 WINTER 2005
Twenty years ago, I had just begun to
settle in for my first year here at Saint
Louis University when I challenged
our board of trustees and administration team
to create new ways for us to fulfill our mission
of forming women and men for others. We
knew that the Saint Louis University educa-tional
experience was a unique opportunity,
and we were striving to find a new way to
attract students who not only were high-caliber
academic scholars but also had the potential to
become the type of leaders needed to improve
our communities.
Due to the generosity of alumni and SLU
supporters, we were able to establish the Presi-dential
Scholars program, which back in 1988,
awarded the first 10 recipients with full schol-arships
to Saint Louis University. In this issue
of Universitas you will see how that investment
continues to pay dividends for these 10 men
and women and for the communities in which
they live.
I am blessed to have been at SLU long
enough not only to witness the growth of this
first class of Presidential Scholars during their
years at SLU, but also now to see how they
have grown and fulfilled the promise we saw in
them two decades ago. Starting on page 19, you
can read about this “first-class” group — an
emergency room physician, owner of a social
service agency, corporate lawyer, business
analyst, piano teacher, researcher, pediatrician,
manager for a home health care company and
two alumnae serving their families as full-time
mothers.
Although they have settled on careers and
homes that literally are all over the map, the
members of the initial class of Presidential
Scholars — much like the more than 300
Presidential Scholars who have followed them
— show a commitment to service to others as
well as an appreciation for the opportunities
they received here at SLU. Their continued
success is one of the best endorsements for the
next generation of students who apply to Saint
Louis University.
And that’s one of the most important ways
our original scholars are returning the invest-ment
many SLU alumni and supporters made
in them 20 years ago. We have great faculty,
staff, researchers and alumni at Saint Louis
University, but to keep SLU a great university,
we need to continue to attract great students.
All of you already are doing a wonderful job
promoting Saint Louis University as you
achieve success in your professional, personal
and service lives. But I ask you to join your
alma mater’s efforts to attract even more of
tomorrow’s leaders to SLU.
During the last academic year, SLU’s total
enrollment increased 3 percent, and our goal is
to continue to provide more opportunities for
students who are eager to study at SLU. Even
outside of St. Louis, many of you will see in
movie theaters and hear on the radio a new
SLU recruitment campaign, that encourages
students to “Be a Billiken.” Using our Univer-sity’s
unique mascot, the campaign highlights
SLU’s equally unique attributes, which sepa-rate
SLU from other top national schools.
But your help, whether setting up one-on-one
meetings with prospective students in
your city or joining SLU recruiters at a college
fair in your area, can make the difference in
whether a student seriously considers SLU. If
you’re interested in lending some of your valu-able
time to the SLU recruitment cause, please
contact our alumni relations office at alumni@
slu.edu for more information.
I hope you enjoy reading about our 20th
anniversary class of Presidential Scholars as
much as I have enjoyed catching up with these
10 alumni.
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.,
President
SLU’s Presidential Scholarship celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Photo by Jim Visser
{ president’s message } { contents }
8 | The Billiken: From Fad to Icon
Learn how the Billiken came to be
and how he came to SLU in this
article celebrating the unique mascot’s
100 years. — By Nick Sargent
12 | Life, Hope and Homilies
Philosophy professor John
Kavanaugh, S.J., has been raising
tough questions for more than 30
years. Now he gives some answers.
— By Laura Geiser
16 | In Case of Emergency
How well is SLU prepared for a crisis?
A new emergency preparedness team
is making sure the University is ready
for anything. — By Clayton Berry
19 | Primary Scholars
SLU’s inaugural class of Presidential
Scholars arrived on campus 20 years
ago. Find out where these 10 alumni
are today. — By Marie Dilg
2 | On Campus
Homecoming marks the Billiken’s
birthday • New rankings released •
Avian flu research • Heritage Hall •
Art exhibits • Convocation
6 | Billiken News
Basketball schedules • Trost on all-
NCAA team • Volleyball wins big
7 | Advancement News
A conversation with David
Suwalsky, S.J., director of SLU’s
museums and galleries.
24 | class notes
Catch up with classmates.
28 | In Memoriam
Remembering those members of the
SLU community who recently died.
30 | alumni events
Find SLU alumni activities wherever
you live.
32 | Perspective
A recent alumnus discusses the
criminal justice system.
33 | the last word
Letters to the editor.
8 19
12
features depar tments
6
2 U NI V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S F A L L 2 0 0 8 3
{ on campus }
To celebrate the Billiken’s 100th year, the University
threw two birthday celebrations to coincide with
Homecoming and Family Weekend, which drew
thousands of graduates and parents to campus Sept. 26-28.
In all, more than 2,500 alumni and friends and 1,200 par-ents
and family members made their way to SLU’s campus.
The schedule of events included class reunions, jazz socials,
campus tours and a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.
The birthday celebration kicked off in the Family Fun
Area on Saturday, where alumni, parents and students
turned out to make birthday hats, enjoy birthday-themed
activities and eat cupcakes. The Billiken had only one wish
for his birthday party: that all of his friends bring new
children’s books, later donated to a special program at SSM
Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Almost 200
books were collected.
The birthday celebration continued that night, as the
men’s soccer team won its game against in-state rival Mis-souri
State University by a 3-0 margin, with almost 5,800
in attendance. It was the second largest crowd in Hermann
Stadium history.
During halftime, the stadium lights dropped, and a three-tier
cake was brought onto the field. The capacity crowd
sang “Happy Birthday” to the Billiken. As soon as the song
ended, a fireworks display erupted over the stadium.
Homecoming Weekend also featured tours of the new
Chaifetz Arena, the annual golf cart parade, a barbecue,
Mass, brunch and a concert.
“With wonderful events and spectacular weather, we
really celebrated the Billiken’s birthday in style, and we are
already looking forward to next year,” said Meg Connolly
(A&S ’90, Grad ’92), associate vice president for alumni
relations and annual giving.
The 2009 Homecoming Weekend is scheduled for Sept. 25-
27. Call the office of alumni relations at (314) 977-2250 to help
with reunion planning.
Homecoming celebrates 100 years of the Billiken
Scenes from
this year’s
homecoming
This summer, two national
publications recognized
Saint Louis University as
one of the best schools
in the country for under-graduate
education. U.S.
News & World Report’s
“America’s Best Colleges”
ranks SLU 80th out of
more than 260 national
universities in the United States. The ranking placed
SLU among the top five Jesuit universities in the
country for the sixth consecutive year. U.S. News
also gave high marks to the University’s undergrad-uate
engineering and business programs.
The Princeton Review’s 2009 edition of The Best
368 Colleges places SLU in the top 15 percent of
America’s 2,500 four-year colleges. Listings in book
are based on institutional data, school visits and
feedback from students, independent college coun-selors
and parents. However schools are chosen
primarily for their outstanding academics.
SLU earns
U.S. News,
Princeton
Review
honors
Researchers
study avian flu
Saint Louis University School of
Medicine has begun one of the larg-est
avian flu clinical trials in the United
States to test a new vaccine approach to
prevent the disease.
The study tests whether an injection
of an FDA-approved avian flu vaccine
created in 2004 can prime the body’s
immune system so a second shot of a
different avian flu vaccine can protect
against avian flu infection.
Public health experts are concerned
that the avian flu could become the
next influenza pandemic because bird
viruses have started previous outbreaks.
The study will examine the vigor of the
body’s antibody response and the safety
of the vaccines.
SLU is the lead site of the research,
which is sponsored by the National In-stitute
of Allergy and Infectious Diseases,
part of the National Institutes of Health,
and will include up to five study sites.
SLU named a great
place to work
In its “2008 Great Colleges to Work For”
issue, The Chronicle of Higher Education
recognized Saint Louis University as one of
the best universities to work for in the nation.
SLU was one of five institutions of higher
education with 2,500 or more employees
recognized in the following categories:
Teaching
Environment:
Faculty members
say the institution
recognizes innova-tive
and high-quali-ty
teaching.
Tenure Clarity
and Process:
Requirements for
tenure are clear,
faculty members
say.
Housing
Assistance
Programs:
The “Hometown
SLU” program
provides forgiv-able
loans toward
homes purchased
in neighborhoods
near the University.
403(b) or 401(k):
Saint Louis
University offers
an award-winning
retirement plan.
New endowed
chair benefits
ophthalmolo g y
Dr. Anwar Shah, a former
SLU faculty member, has
established an endowed chair
in ophthalmology. Shah began
his relationship with SLU as an
intern and resident in ophthal-mology,
after coming to the
United States from Pakistan as a
Fulbright Scholar in 1955.
After completing fellowships
at Washington University in St. Louis and Harvard Medical School,
Shah became director of retina services in SLU’s department of
ophthalmology. He was a member of the SLU faculty for years,
training numerous ophthalmology residents. In 1980, he built the St.
Louis Eye Hospital, a 160,000.
4 U NI V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S F A L L 2 0 0 8 5
CONVOCATION
CELEBRATION
For the first time, in August Saint
Louis University’s annual convocation
to welcome new students and their
families to the SLU community was
held at Chaifetz Arena. Previously
held in St. Francis Xavier College
Church, convocation moved to the
arena this year to allow more faculty
and staff to participate in the event.
{ on campus } Viewing Heritage Hall on the day of its dedication are (from left): Dr. Patricia
Demuth, former coordinator of gerontological nursing at the School of
Nursing; Sister Noreen McGowan (seated), former faculty member and director
of nursing at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital; and Virginia Patton Spe-noga,
former faculty member.
Nursing School marks anniversary
with Heritage Hall installation
When Saint Louis University School of Nursing marked its
80th anniversary by unveiling its Heritage Hall, one sec-tion
was left empty by design.
“Visitors to Heritage Hall will learn of the many greats we have
achieved as an innovator in nursing education. But the best is yet
to come,” said Dr. Teri Murray (Nurs ’79, Grad ’93, ’97), dean of
the School of Nursing.
Located on the second floor of the School of Nursing Building,
Heritage Hall is a three-dimensional timeline of the School of
Nursing’s milestones. It was dedicated Sept. 27.
A seed donation for Heritage Hall was made in honor of Dr.
Joan Carter (Nurs ’58, Grad ’62), associate dean emerita of the
School of Nursing. Alumni and other friends of the School of
Nursing contributed to the historical remembrance.
Faculty from Saint
Louis University’s
Doisy College of
Health Sciences and
the department of
nutrition and dietetics’
Fresh Gatherings
cafeteria are featured
in a book by author
Patricia Corrigan called Eating St. Louis: The Gate-way
City’s Unique Food Culture. The hardcover book
serves up stories and photos of the places, people
and foods that have
come to define and feed
St. Louis. It also features
little-known tales about
local restaurants, food
manufacturers, groceries
and specialty food shops.
Eating St. Louis can be
ordered online at: www.
eatingstlouis.com.
Doisy
College
featured
in book
Rec Center reminder
Whether you’re a member of SLU’s
Simon Recreation Center or
not, alumni may enroll in most of the
center’s fitness classes, including Pilates,
yoga, aerobics, spinning, kickboxing,
bouldering and swimming. Several
dance classes also are offered. There is
a moderate fee for class enrollment, and
all skill levels are welcomed. Classes and
schedules vary, so visit www.slu.edu/
organizations/crcisc for details or call
(314) 977-3969.
As the Billiken
celebrates
his 100th
birthday
Issues of Universitas that feature the
Billiken on the cover (including this one)
NCAA Division I Billiken
teams at SLU
Billiken statues on campus
(plus, there’s a Billiken-shaped
topiary)
Individuals inducted
into SLU’s athletic
Billiken Hall of Fame
Pageviews of SLU’s “What’s a Billiken?”
page (www.slu.edu/billiken.xml) during
the last three months 8 18 2 227 5,397
t h e A R T S a t S L U
SLUMA shows
‘Diebenkorn,
Hockney and
Dine’ works
The Saint Louis University
Museum of Art is present-ing
“Diebenkorn, Hockney
and Dine: Selected Prints
from the Bank of America
Collection.” This iconic trio
of contemporary artists
is represented by more
than 100 of their respec-tive
prints spanning the
period between 1950 and
1986. The works on paper
reveal explorations into the
aesthetics of line, color and
formal complexity. SLUMA’s
hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Wednesday through Sun-day.
For more information,
visit sluma.slu.edu.
MOCRA’s
‘Pursuit of the
Spirit’ marks
15 years
This fall, visitors to SLU’s
Museum of Contemporary
Religious Art can view the
exhibition “Pursuit of the
Spirit,” which draws on art-ists
and artworks selected
from the museum’s first 35
exhibitions. As the museum
celebrates its 15th an-niversary,
the selections are
dedicated to the ongoing
dialogue between con-temporary
artists and the
world’s faith traditions. The
museum is open 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Tuesday through
Sunday. For more informa-tion,
call (314) 977-7170 or
visit mocra.slu.edu.
Campaign
memorabilia
on display at
SLUMA
The Saint Louis University
Museum of Art is exhibit-ing
“Persuasive Politics:
Presidential Campaign
Memorabilia.” Centuries of
presidential memorabilia are
showcased in the collec-tion:
a George Washington
coat button, an “I Like Ike”
cigarette pack and an 1860
Abraham Lincoln campaign
coin are among the more
than 700 campaign items,
ranging from the historic and
stoic to the contemporary
and whimsical. SLUMA’s
hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Wednesday through Sun-day.
For more information,
visit sluma.slu.edu.
Madonna and Child. Frederick
J. Brown (1994-95), oil and
mixed media on canvas.
McKinley campaign pin
with flag ribbon.
Clubs-Blue Ground. Richard
Diebenkorn (1982), etching,
spitbite aquatint, drypoint.
Public Health receives 26.3 million contract from
the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The new contract is in addition to last year’s $26.8
million, five-year contract to the School of Public Health to follow the health of children
from St. Louis City and Macoupin County in Illinois.
FIRST CLASS
This fall, Saint Louis
University debuted a new
classroom building at 3721
Laclede Ave. The building,
which was the former home
of Forest Pharmaceuticals,
was completely gutted and
renovated this summer.
Now known as the Laclede
Classroom Building, the fa-cility
boasts 15 classrooms,
a new forensics/anthropol-ogy
lab and several seminar
rooms.
Photo by Steve Dolan
Photo by Steve Dolan
Photo by Kevin Lowder
date opponent place time
Nov. 05 vs. Harris-Stowe State St. Louis 7 p.m.
(ExhIBITION)
Nov. 14 vs. Missouri-St. Louis St. Louis 7 p.m.
Nov. 19 vs. Kent State St. Louis 7 p.m.
Nov. 22 vs. Boston College St. Louis 1 p.m.
Nov. 25 at Nebraska Lincoln, Neb. 7 p.m.
Nov. 29 at Detroit Mercy Detroit 1 p.m.
Dec. 02 at Southern Illinois Carbondale, Ill. 7 p.m.
Dec. 06 vs. Savannah State St. Louis 7 p.m.
Dec. 13 vs. Samford St. Louis 4 p.m.
Las Vegas Classic
Dec. 17 vs. USC Upstate St. Louis 7 p.m.
Dec. 19 vs. Liberty St. Louis 7 p.m.
Dec. 22 vs. DePaul Las Vegas 7 p.m.
Dec. 23 Las Vegas Classic Las Vegas 6:30 or
Championship 9 p.m.
Dec. 30 vs. UMBC St. Louis 8 p.m.
Jan. 02 vs. North Carolina A&T St. Louis 7 p.m.
Jan. 08 at Xavier Cincinnati 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 vs. Massachusetts St. Louis 7 p.m.
Jan. 17 vs. George Washington St. Louis TBA
Jan. 22 at Temple Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Jan. 25 vs. Richmond St. Louis 2 p.m.
Jan. 29 at Dayton Dayton, Ohio 7 p.m.
Jan. 31 at Fordham Bronx, N.Y. 6 p.m.
Feb. 04 vs. Duquesne St. Louis TBA
Feb. 08 at Richmond Richmond, Va. 1 p.m.
Feb. 11 vs. Charlotte St. Louis 7 p.m.
Feb. 14 at Rhode Island Kingston, R.I. 1 p.m.
Feb. 1
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSpring 2007 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityRemembering Father Mac
PAGE 8
DR. ROB E RT BELSHE
DR. MAR K BULLER
PA UL C Z YS Z
DR. G REG EVANS
DR. DEE ANNA GL ASER
DR. JOEL GOL DS TEIN
DR. JERRY KAT Z
DR. JOHN MORL E Y
DR. K EN WA RREN
DR. TER RI L . WEAVER
VACCINE DEVELOPMENT
VIRAL-BORNE DISEASES
AIR CRASH INVESTIGATION
BIOTERRORISM
COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY
VICE PRESIDENCY
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
GERIATRIC MEDICINE
U.S. POLITICS
POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Hearing Voices
PAGE 16
Trophy Life
PAGE 20
Volume 33, Issue 2
E d i t o r
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
C o n t r i b u t o r s
Clayton Berry
Marie Dilg (SW ’94)
Jeff Fowler
Jeanette Grider
Joe Muehlenkamp (A&S, Cook ’89, Grad ’98)
Rachel Otto
Andrea Roewe
Nick Sargent
Nancy Solomon
“ O n C a m p u s ” n e w s s t o r i e s
University Communications
Medical Center Media Relations
Billiken Media Relations
De s i g n
Art Direction: Matthew Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opin-ions
expressed in Universitas are those of the individual
authors and not necessarily those of the University ad-ministration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs
are welcome but will be returned only if accompanied
by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the
editor must be signed, and letters not intended for pub-lication
should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the
right to edit all items. Address all mail to Universitas,
DuBourg Hall 39, 221 N. Grand, St. Louis, Mo. 63103.
We accept e-mail at [email protected] and fax submissions
at (314) 977-2249. Address fax submissions to Editor,
Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
and mailed by Specialty Mailing.
Worldwide circulation: 118,600
© 2007, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Each spring I look forward to our com-mencement
ceremony. There is just
something about the sound of the organ
filling Scottrade Center and the sight of hun-dreds
of graduates having their pictures taken in
their caps and gowns smiling ear-to-ear flanked
by a parent on each side with even bigger smiles
on their faces. I love the banners, the academic
attire and the ritual of it all. It is an exciting
time for professors, students and parents alike,
and the thrill culminates for me when I get to
roar at the end of the ceremony: “I declare you
sons and daughters of Saint Louis University
forever!”
Many students find it difficult to see past my
role as priest and president, but at heart, I am
also an educator. I spent 12 years as a mem-ber
of the faculty at Loyola University Chicago
teaching and six years as a dean at Loyola be-fore
I became president
of SLU. I value my time
as a professor because
what I learned from my
students in the classroom
has influenced the educa-tion-
focused decisions I
have made as president
here.
So, it is a joy for me
to see so many students
excited about what they
have achieved during
their time at SLU and to
witness their enthusiasm
for the future. Every year,
I wonder how the gradu-ates
in the audience will go on to achieve great
things and how the University will play a role in
those successes.
With nearly 108,000 SLU alumni living
around the world, there are many stories of
SLU sons and daughters making the University
proud. But in February, I was blessed to spend
time with one of those sons. He has not only
gone on to achieve great success, he saw fit to
share it with SLU.
I am sure some of you will find familiar the
name that adorns the Chaifetz Arena (read more
on page 2), our long-awaited, on-campus arena,
because its namesake may have been a former
classmate. Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, who made
a 12 million naming rights gift to the arena
project, graduated from Saint Louis University
in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
During the past 30 years, Chaifetz founded
Chicago-based ComPsych Corp. and oversaw
its growth into the world’s largest provider of
employee-assistance programs.
It’s truly a blessing that Rich is sharing the
success he achieved after graduating from SLU.
But as an educator, I was more touched to hear
Rich tell the story that inspired him to give back
to his alma mater.
During a press conference announcing his do-nation,
Rich told the media in attendance about
the day he visited the office of former University
President Paul Reinert, S.J. As Rich told those
in attendance, he was faced with the possibility
of having to leave SLU because he could not pay
his tuition.
When Rich reached the president’s office, he
was obviously nervous. But Father Reinert took
the time to meet with him and listened to his
story. Rich punctuated his plea to stay at SLU
by promising that if Father Reinert allowed
him to remain in school,
he would not only pay
SLU the tuition he owed
but give back even more
when he established him-self.
Clearly, he’s made
good on that promise.
Rich truly understands
the benefits he received
by attending Saint Louis
University, not only be-cause
of the investment
Father Reinert made in
him, but the kindness
that all those who support
the University showed
him. Donations, whether
small or large, make it possible for future gen-erations
to share in the educational experience
you received at Saint Louis University.
As we push forward to have SLU recognized
as the finest Catholic university in the nation, we
will continue to need the assistance and leader-ship
of sons and daughters like Rich — and like
you. By making the University even better, you
not only give current students the opportunities
you received, you strengthen the value of your
degree as SLU’s stature and reputation improve
across the country.
No matter how long ago it was that you took
those special pictures with your parents or felt
the excitement of graduation rush over you as
“Pomp and Circumstance” began to play, I hope
you will always remember you are sons and
daughters of Saint Louis University, forever.
— Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
P r e s i den t ’ s Me s s age
U N I V E R S I T A S w w w . s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S P R I N G 2 0 0 7
F EAT U RES
DE PARTMENTS
2 On Campus
Arena named for Chaifetz Service hours grow Med dean to
retire New endowed chairs Rec Center expands
6 Billiken News
Three fall NCAA Tourney appearances New Hall of Fame inductees
7 Campaign Update
A conversation with Tom Keefe, development vice president
24 Class Notes
Catch up with classmates
28 In Memoriam
Remembering those members of the SLU community who recently died
30 Alumni Events
Find SLU alumni activities wherever you live
32 Perspective
An alumnus shares the courage and inspiration of his college roommate
33 The Last Word
Letters to the editor
8
16
Remembering
Father Mac
SLU’s champion of
Cupples House and the
arts, Maurice McNamee,
S.J., died in January.
By Clayton Berry
and Nick Sargent
Meet the Experts
Insights and experiences from 10 faculty members who
frequently appear in the media. 10 Photos by Jim Visser 20
Hearing VOICES
An innovative program
helps members of
the SLU community
find their calling.
By Marie Dilg
Trophy Life
A Q&A with alumnus
Mark Lamping, president
of the St. Louis Cardinals.
By Laura Geiser
A springtime workout at the expanded Simon Recreation Center.
Photo by Jim Visser
U N I V E R S I T A S w w w . s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S P R I N G 2 0 0 7
6,000 Lineal feet of underground piping used in the construction 34,000 Square feet of brick being used in the project — enough to cover a regulation basketball court 7.25 times »
Saint Louis University announced Feb. 28 that its new 10,600-
seat multipurpose arena will be named in honor of University
alumnus Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz (SHAY-fetz), who made a
12 million naming rights gift to the project. Chaifetz Arena will
open in March 2008. It will be home to Billiken men’s and women’s
basketball and will host other events.
Chaifetz (A&S ’75) is a licensed neuropsychologist and is founder,
chairman and CEO of Chicago-based ComPsych Corp., the world’s
largest provider of employee-assistance programs (EAP). ComPsych
is also the leading provider of fully integrated EAP, behavioral health,
work-life, wellness, crisis intervention services and outsourced human
resources solutions under the GuidanceResources brand. ComPsych
provides services to more than 25 million individuals and 10,000 or-ganizations
throughout the United States and 92 countries. Chaifetz
is one of the world’s most frequently quoted experts on behavioral
health, workplace issues as well as employer and employee trends.
“It is an honor for Saint Louis University to have Dr. Richard
Chaifetz’s name on our arena, which will mean so much to the Uni-versity
and the entire St. Louis community,” said University President
Lawrence Biondi, S.J. “Not only is Dr. Chaifetz respected around the
world for the success of ComPsych Corp., but we take special pride
because he is an extremely successful alumnus who cares deeply about
his alma mater and future generations of SLU students.”
“I am proud to have the University name this arena in my honor,”
Chaifetz said. “My education at Saint Louis University has had a tre-mendous
impact upon my life, both personally and in business. As
an avid sports fan, I have fond memories of the many sporting events
I attended while an undergraduate at SLU. Having the arena in my
name is especially meaningful.”
Chaifetz is a native of New York, and in 1971 he turned down an
appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to attend
SLU on the advice of his high school dean and mentor. He credits for-mer
University President Paul Reinert, S.J., with helping him remain
at SLU when financial issues threatened his ability to stay in school.
“Father Reinert told me he believed in me and allowed me to stay
at SLU at a time in my life when I didn’t have the financial resources
to pay for my tuition,” Chaifetz said. “I promised him not only would
I pay my tuition, but that I would pay back the University in an even
bigger way in the future. Now, this is an opportunity for me to give
back to the University for all the support and guidance I received as
an undergraduate here. It is my hope that Chaifetz Arena will en-hance
the on-campus experience for every future Saint Louis Univer-sity
student, as well as the city of St. Louis.”
Chaifetz has been named to the Who’s Who list of Crain’s Chi-cago
Business for three consecutive years — 2004, 2005 and 2006.
He serves on the board of directors of several corporations, as well
as nonprofit organizations. Chaifetz received his Psy.D. from the Il-linois
School of Professional Psychology. He is married and has two
children. — Jeff Fowler
At the construction site of
the new Chaifetz Arena
SLU lauded in
recent rankings
Two publications,
St. Louis Maga-zine
and the St.
Louis Business Journal,
have recognized Saint
Louis University as one
of the area’s best places
to work. St. Louis Magazine named the
region’s “45 companies that know how
to keep their employees happy.” SLU
was highlighted for its award-winning
retirement plan.
In addition, for the second straight
year, the St. Louis Regional Chamber
and Growth Association named SLU
to its list of “Greater St. Louis Top 50
Businesses Shaping Our Future.” The
50 companies recognized in 2006 were
selected for their contributions to the St.
Louis region and future impact on the
business community.
more than 300 Philosophy professors worldwide name
saint louis University programs among the best
Top philosophers from around the world gave high marks to philosophy pro-grams
at Saint Louis University. The Philosophical Gourmet Report ranked
SLU’s medieval philosophy program the best in the United States and rated
the philosophy of religion program behind only those at Notre Dame and Oxford
universities. SLU also earned a special mention in epistemology, the philosophy of
knowledge.
More than 300 philosophy professors worldwide completed online surveys about
philosophy departments in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and
New Zealand.
SLU welcomes noted speakers
The former prime minister of Israel,
Ehud Barak, visited Saint Louis
University earlier this year and dis-cussed
“Blueprint for Global Relations: A
Macro Analysis of How National Politics,
International Events, Terror and the Econ-omy
All Influence National and Interna-tional
Relations.” Prime minister of Israel
from 1999 to 2001, Barak led the country
out of prolonged recession and into an eco-nomic
boom.
In February, famed
filmmaker Spike Lee
was the keynote speak-er
for SLU’s celebra-tion
of Black History
Month. He is known
for such films as Do
the Right Thing and
When the Levees Broke,
a documentary focus-ing
on the plight of Americans stranded in
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Lee
delivered a presentation titled “The Media’s
Affect on Black America.”
The spring 1982 edition of Universitas featured the
cover story “Portrait of the Class Clown” describing
a student’s effort to become a professional clown.
He said running away to the circus is not as easy as it sounds.
Don Ganz (A&S ’78, Grad Cook ’83) shared his experience at
Barnum & Bailey Clown College and how that opportunity made
him more marketable. After his three-month adventure at clown
college, Ganz returned to SLU to complete his MBA.
The magazine also included an article, remembering Joseph
“Buck” Davis, S.J. The story reflected his many contributions to
the University in his years of service. The founder of what is
now the John Cook School of Business, Davis used
his self-taught business skills to recruit nearly the entire
staff for the school. Businessman Martin Shaughnessy, a close friend of Davis’,
donated 750,000 for construction of a home for the school, which was named
Davis-Shaughnessy Hall for their efforts.
Also, in this issue, University President Thomas Fitzgerald, S.J., discussed
changes in national legislation for financial aid. Fitzgerald focused on SLU’s
dedication and commitment to its students. He said the administration
was working on ways for students to afford a SLU education, in light of
the financial aid cuts proposed by President Ronald Reagan.
Lee
Sign
of the
Times
Sister Mary Terese
Donze (A&S ’44), a
resident of DeMattias
Hall, shared one of
her many inventions
— a gadget that rewound
adding machine paper
so it could be used four
times instead of just
once.
– from the story titled
“Nun Has 2nd Career
as Inventor/
Author”
Quotable UTAS
“Thomas Aquinas long ago pointed
out that learning takes place only if
the learner does something. One cannot
pour knowledge into the head or heart of
a student as one pours wine into a glass.”
— Dr. Francis L. Gross Jr. (A&S ’55, Grad ’56, ’64), an author speaking about his book Passages
in Teaching: Predictable Crises in the Teaching of Adolescents and Young Adults. Gross taught in the
theology department from 1966 to 1969.
Arena named for alumnus
Richard Chaifetz
Make a gift and follow the construction of Chaifetz Arena at arena.slu.edu.
Photos by Kevin Lowder
above LEFT: Chaifetz (far right) and his family look over a 1975 SLU yearbook with Mary Bruemmer (second from left), former dean of women and University volunteer.
Center: The Chaifetz family (from left), Jessica, Ross, Richard and Jill with a rendering of Chaifetz Arena. right: Biondi (left) presents Chaifetz with a Billiken basketball jersey.
Biondi (left) and Chaifetz at the news conference announcing the new name.
U N I V E R S I T A S w w w . s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S P R I N G 2 0 0 7
Photo by Jim Visser
News Briefs
Drs. Paul J. Shore, Todd Swanstrom
and Stephen Paul Wernet received
Fulbright Scholar grants this school
year. Shore, a professor of educa-tional
studies, is at the Collegium
Budapest in Hungary. Wernet, a pro-fessor
of social work, is at Ostrava
University in the Czech Republic. And
Swanstrom, a professor of public
policy studies, is at the University of
Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
Dr. Charlotte Royeen, dean of the
Doisy College of Health Sciences, won
the National Jesuit Book Award for
2006. Royeen is co-editor of Educat-ing
for Moral Action: A Sourcebook for
Health and Rehabilitation Ethics.
Darius U. Dunn is the general
manager of the new Chaifetz Arena.
Dunn previously served as associate
director of the Stephen O’Connell
Center at the University of Florida.
Dr. Brian D. Till, chairman of the mar-keting
department at the John Cook
School of Business, was appointed
to the Clarence and Helen Steber En-dowed
Professorship in Marketing. The
endowed professorship was created in
1971 to recognize a scholar in the field
of marketing for teaching, scholarly
work and work with the business com-munity.
At the construction site of
the new Chaifetz Arena 430,000 Hours of work that will be spent on the 18-month project 75,000 Cubic yards of dirt that will be moved during construction — about 375,000 full wheelbarrow loads 191 Drilled piers in the foundation, each approximately 30 feet tall
campus enthusiastically embraces RecREATION Center expansion
The University recently completed a 40,000-square-foot expansion of the Simon Rec-reation
Center, paid for by students who voted to assess themselves a fee to fund the
project.
The new space includes more than 150 new pieces of fitness equipment, a juice bar and
lounge, additional locker rooms, several multipurpose rooms, wellness suite, traversing wall
and gaming area.
Students so enthusiastically embraced the expansion that less than a month after it opened,
the Rec Center expanded its hours to meet demand.
Additional improvements are planned for this school year. The second phase of the project
includes renovations to the main level and the second floor. The lobby, locker rooms, elevated
track and special event rooms will be updated. An elevator also will be installed.
DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ANNOUNCES HER RETIREMENT
Dr. Patricia L. Monteleone (Med ’61, Pub Hlth ’91, Grad Cook
’91) one of the first women appointed to lead a U.S. medical
school when she was named the 11th dean of Saint Louis Uni-versity
School of Medicine in 1994, announced her intention to retire in
March. With 13 years of service, she is the longest continuously serving
woman dean in the history of U.S. medical schools.
Monteleone, a pediatrician with an expertise in medical genetics,
has presided over the school during a time of rapid change in American
medicine. She has overseen a restructuring of the school’s medical cur-riculum;
an expansion in the amount of research funding at the school
from both governmental and private industry sources; and the creation of the University
Medical Group (SLUCare), the clinical practice of the faculty at SLU School of Medicine.
Monteleone will continue to serve as dean until a new dean is identified.
Endowed chairs honor
donors, slu scholars
Thanks to generous donations,
SLU added two endowed chairs
during the last year.
The James B. and Joan C. Peter Endowed
Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biol-ogy
was made possible by a donation of 2
million from Dr. James and Joan Peter. The
Hubert Mäder Endowed Chair in Health
Care Ethics was made possible through a
$1.5 million donation from the Geschwister
Mader Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland.
Dr. James B. Peter (Med ’58) has had a
distinguished career in academic medicine
and business. He is founder and former
chief executive officer of Specialty Labo-ratories,
a leading hospital-focused clinical
reference laboratory. He and his wife, Joan,
generously supported research and educa-tion
at SLU for many years. Dr. William S.
Sly (Med ’57) is the inaugural chair holder.
Huber Mäder, a surgeon and philanthro-pist,
created his foundation to demonstrate
his lifelong passion for the ethical practice
of medicine. Dr. James M. DuBois is the
inaugural chair holder.
Annual service hours soar to nearly 780,000, survey says
Members of the Saint Louis University community certainly know how to give back.
In 2006, SLU students, faculty and staff contributed 779,776 hours of commu-nity
service and outreach, according to the report, “Beyond the Classroom.”
That’s more than in 2005 (753,806) and up significantly from five years ago, when the
reported number of service hours was approximately 490,000.
SLU’s academic courses and programs provide great opportunities for service. According to
the new report, SLU students spent more than 80,000 hours helping the community through
class and program-sponsored activities.
virtual tour of italian church
possible via new technology
Using technology typically associ-ated
with video games, two SLU
theologians created an interac-tive,
3-D tour of one of Europe’s most im-portant
churches.
Theology professors Drs. Jay Ham-mond
(A&S ’93, Grad ’94, ’98) and James
Ginther spent more than a year building
the virtual version of Italy’s landmark Ba-silica
of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Their 3-D model allows virtual tour-goers
to walk nearly everywhere in the upper basil-ica
and fly close to the church’s famed paint-ings
and stained-glass windows. Most virtual
tours of historic buildings rely on 360-degree
panoramas and offer limited interactivity.
Other virtual tour projects have been equally
advanced, but the SLU professors’ tour is one
of the first able to run on a PC.
Ignatian retiree group looking for new volunteers
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps is searching for retirees to help with the good work its
chapters are doing across the county.
The IVC is an organization that combines service to the poor with a unique process
of spiritual reflection. Established in 1995 by Jesuit priests Jim Conroy, S.J., and Charlie
Costello, S.J., the program is for retired women
and men, age 50 and older. To learn more about
the IVC or to sign u
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSummer 2006 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityS i n g i n g
g roup
wo r k s i n
h a r mo n y
pg. 9
B i o l o gy
fac ult y
m a k e t he ir
m a r k
pg. 12
A l um n i
c h a n g e
c hil d r e n’s
l i v e s
pg. 18
B a s e b a l l
t e a m p l ay s
i n n c a a
t our n a me n t
pg. 6
F E AT U R E S DE PA R TMEN T S
E d i t o r
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
C o n t r i b u t o r s
Allison Babka Burney
Marie Dilg (SW ’94)
Shannon McGuire (Student Assistant)
Rachel Otto
“ O n C a m p u s ” n e w s s t o r i e s
University Communications
Medical Center Media Relations
Billiken Media Relations
D e s i g n
Art Direction: Matthew Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opin-ions
expressed in Universitas are those of the individual
authors and not necessarily those of the University admin-istration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are
welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a
stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor
must be signed, and letters not intended for publication
should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to
edit all items. Address all mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall
39, 221 N. Grand, St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept e-mail
at [email protected] and fax submissions at (314) 977-2249.
Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
and mailed by Specialty Mailing.
Worldwide circulation: 111,720
© 2006, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Volume 3 2 , I ssue 3
In April, I had the privilege of speaking to a
group of outstanding local citizens to accept
St. Louis’ 2005 “Citizen of the Year” award,
which is presented by a committee of former recip-ients
and sponsored by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
It was truly an honor.
The humbling experience gave me the oppor-tunity
to reflect on my early days in my adopt-ed
hometown and how much I have seen things
change here during the last 19 years.
Although I had a very brief visit to St. Louis
in 1967 on my way to Mexico to hone my Span-ish
skills, I didn’t spend any time in the city
until I was named to Saint Louis University’s
board of trustees in 1983. On my first trip to
SLU for a board meeting, I extended my stay
so I could see the city. After taking the Lindell
Boulevard bus downtown on a Saturday after-noon,
I found so little to do that I caught an
earlier flight back to Chicago.
For four more years, I came to St. Louis for the
trustees’ quarterly meetings — and I came only for
the meetings. Then, in 1987, when I was elected
president of SLU, I decided that I had to get to know the city. One Sunday morning shortly after
my arrival, I took former SLU President Tom Fitzgerald’s old, green-colored Oldsmobile and drove
around downtown, trying to memorize the street names.
I saw progress. In four years, some things had certainly changed for the better. But as I drove
back to campus, I saw that there was still much to do. Right in Midtown, in my own new back yard,
there were dilapidated buildings, plots of asphalt and rundown city blocks.
In my early days at SLU, I was like a new homeowner. I wanted the best for my neighborhood,
and I was willing to make the effort to improve it. When I came to this city to live and work, I
quickly adopted it as my home. But I still needed a shot of hometown pride.
I found that pride away from buildings and ball clubs. I love St. Louis for more than its Arch,
toasted ravioli and Ted Drewes frozen custard. I love it for the people who are trying to make a dif-ference
— visionaries such as Joe Edwards and Richard Baron and many others. And while I did use
my “Citizen of the Year” acceptance speech as an opportunity to challenge my fellow St. Louisans
to aspire to make our city greater, I also know that I — and our University — have enjoyed unprec-edented
cooperation from city officials and local business leaders.
I can remember being here for just a few months and working with then-mayor Vince Schoemehl
(Grad ’86) to get trees — substantial trees — planted along Grand and Lindell. In Chicago, I would
have never had as much direct access to the Board of Aldermen or to the mayor himself. Today, we
continue to receive tremendous support from Mayor Francis Slay (Law ’80) and from the Board of
Aldermen. I am truly grateful for the trust that city officials have always placed in SLU.
And it’s not just the civic leaders who have given us their trust. You, our alumni, friends and do-nors,
have shown how you believe in us, too. Through your gifts of time, talent and treasure, you’ve
been instrumental in building the reputation and stature of Saint Louis University.
We’ve come a long way together. And the city of St. Louis has, too. I am so thankful for your
commitment to Saint Louis University and hope that — no matter where you live now — SLU and
St. Louis will always feel like home.
Lawrence Biondi , S. J .
photo by Steve Dolan
President’s Message
etrolink
On the Map
A special insert gives
you an up-close look
at SLU’s campus.
Map Illustration by
Robert North Jr.
U N I V E R S I TA S S UMME R 2 0 0 6
Fr. Biondi with Dr. Donald Suggs, publisher of the St.
Louis American and the 2004 Citizen of the Year.
2 On Campus
Arena plans taking shape Research
Building gets a name Commencement
U.S. News ranks SLU high again
Social justice magazine debuts
6 Billiken News
Baseball team goes to the NCAA
Tournament Walker is now a coach
7 Campaign Update
Meet Anna and Jesse, students
doing their part for annual giving
22 Class Notes
Catch up with classmates
28 In Memoriam
Remembering those members of the
SLU community who recently died
29 Off the Shelf
Seven books from the SLU community
30 Alumni Events
Find SLU alumni activities
wherever you live
32 Perspective
An alumnus turns from music
fan into record label owner
33 The Last Word
Letters to the editor
9
Brothers in Song
An introduction
to the Bare Naked
Statues, SLU’s all-male
a cappella group.
By Allison Babka Burney
Bio-Diversity
The biology department
faculty are studying
everything from fish to
wasps to liver cancer.
By Marie Dilg
A Haven of Hope
Two alumni have
created a home where
abused and neglected
children thrive.
By Marie Dilg
12 18
Students congregate around a fountain at the Medical Center on a hot June aftternoon.
Photo by Kevin Lowder
U N I V E R S I TA S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I TA S S UMME R 2 0 0 6
Groundbreaking is less than three
months away for the new 8 million in TIF funding and bonds,
which will be paid off with revenues from the
Arena. Fund raising continues toward the 39
million goal for the Arena project. Alumni and
benefactors who would like to contribute to the
Arena project can get information about the
project online at arena.slu.edu, or by calling
(314) 977-2499.
Site preparation will begin this summer, with
a groundbreaking date in late August or early
September. Construction is expected to take
approximately 19 months and be completed in
March 2008. At 10,600 seats, the Saint Louis
University Arena will have the second largest
capacity in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The
University anticipates hosting more that 90
events in the Arena in its first year of operation,
with roughly half being non-University events.
Arena plans move forward; groundbreaking soon
Commencement 2006
Saint Louis University celebrated
commencement for more than 1,700
graduates May 20 at Savvis Center.
Chris Lowney, author of Heroic Leadership:
Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company
that Changed the World, delivered the com-mencement
address. The book takes the pil-lars
of Ignatian teachings and applies them
to today’s business environment. In addition
to Lowney, other honorary degree recipients
were Maurice B. McNamee, S.J. (A&S ’33,
Grad ’34, ’45), professor emeritus of Eng-lish,
professor emeritus of art and art history
and director emeritus of Samuel Cupples
House; and Frank Stroble (Cook ’52, Grad
’60) and Ruth Stroble, longtime supporters
of Catholic higher education and commu-nity
volunteers. Throughout five decades as a professor
at Saint Louis University School of
Medicine, Dr. Edward A. Doisy was
renowned worldwide for his pioneering work
in the field of biochemistry, including win-ning
the 1943 Nobel Prize for discovering
the chemical nature of vitamin K.
To honor his lifetime of work, SLU’s new
biomedical research tower, a 67 million fa-cility,
will be named the Edward A. Doisy
Research Center. The Doisy family has com-mitted
2 million to establish the James B. and Joan
C. Peter Endowed Chair in Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology. Dr. James B. Peter
(Med ’58) is founder and former chief execu-tive
officer of Specialty Laboratories, a hospi-tal-
focused clinical reference laboratory.
• 2 million to establish the Badeeh A. and
Catherine V. Bander Endowed Chair in Ne-phrology.
Dr. Steven J. Bander (A&S ’75),
adjunct faculty member in nephrology, and
his wife, Patricia, are endowing the chair in
honor of his parents.
• 1.5 million in a challenge grant from the
J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation to sup-port
construction of the research building.
The building is expected to open in fall
2007. For more details, visit researchbuild-ing.
slu.edu.
Research building gets name and 30 million gift
For the third consecutive year,
U.S.News & World Report has named
the Saint Louis University School of
Law’s health law program the best in the na-tion.
Since the rankings for the health law
specialty began a decade ago, Saint Louis
University’s Center for Health Law Studies
never has been out of the top three.
Overall, the magazine’s “Best Graduate
Schools 2007” issue ranked the law school
among the nation’s 180 accredited law
schools. The School of Medicine was ranked
No. 62 among the nation’s 144 research-intensive
medical schools surveyed by U.S.
News. The school’s geriatrics program was
ranked 12th in the United States.
In addition, the part-time MBA program
in the John Cook School of Business was
ranked No. 25 in the nation out of 347 part-time
MBA programs accredited by the As-sociation
to Advance Collegiate Schools of
Business (AACSB).
Graduate programs honored by U.S. News again
Annual Atlas Week recognizes
the University’s world view
Through more than 50 special events, including discussions,
open houses and student presentations, Atlas Week 2006 gave
the Saint Louis University community the opportunity to ex-plore
the international dimension of SLU’s academic programs and
celebrate the University’s role in international education and service.
The theme of this year’s Atlas Week, held in April, was “Political
and Social Justice in a Global World.” The Signature Symposium
featured Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams, who led the passage of
the international treaty banning antipersonnel landmines. Another
highlight was a panel discussion commemorating the first anniver-sary
of the death of Pope John Paul II.
The Billiken World Festival, which featured a Parade of Nations,
international cuisine, music, games and informational booths in the
quadrangle, wrapped up the week.
In SLU’s residence halls
Students living on
campus during the
2005-06 school year
On-campus rooms
Residence halls: Clemens, DeMattias,
Fusz, Griesedieck, Marguerite, Notre
Dame, Reinert and Walsh
Apartment complexes: Grand Forest,
the Language Houses, Marchetti East
and West, and the Village Apartments
3,346
1,785
84
Severson wins
teaching award
Dr. John G. Severson Jr., professor
of biology, received the 41st an-nual
Nancy McNeir Ring Award
from Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor
society. It is SLU’s oldest student-initi-ated
teaching award and is named for the
University’s first dean of women. Severson
joined the faculty in 1971, has served as
associate dean of the College of Arts and
Sciences and led the Academic Services
Center from 1993-2001. He played an in-tegral
role in the development of the Pre-
Law and Pre-Med Scholars programs, as
well as SLU 101 and SLU 301 programs
for new students.
A view of the Arena facing northwest.
A student shows her pride during the Parade of Nations.
From left: The Strobles, McNamee and Lowney.
Signing the beam before it is raised (from left): Alderman Michael McMillan; AT&T-Missouri vice president Debra
Hollingsworth; U.S. Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond; Clayco president and SLU trustee Bob Clark; University
President Lawrence Biondi, S.J.; SLU trustee Charles Drury and Shirley Drury, donors to the project.
Photo by Kevin Lowder
Photo by Clayton Berry
Photo by Allison Babka Burney
Photo by Allison Babka Burney
Lincoln Legacy exhibit
coming to SLUMA
From Aug. 25-Dec. 17, Samuel Cupples House,
in partnership with the Saint Louis University
Museum of Art, will present “The Lincoln Legacy:
Presidential Years.” The exhibit, which will be in
the Judith and Adam Aronson Gallery at SLUMA,
showcases the Dr. Bernard Hall Abraham Lincoln
Collection of the University of Saint Mary in
Leavenworth, Kan. It will feature manuscripts
and autographed documents, as well as sig-nificant
historical artifacts relating to Lincoln’s
presidency. The exhibit is free and open to
the public. In conjunction with “The Lincoln
Legacy,” the University will be the site of a Civil
War re-enactment, the “Camp Jackson Historic
Encampment,” during Labor Day weekend, Sept.
1-3. For other programming and updates, visit
http://lincoln.slu.edu or call (314) 977-2666.
t h e A R T S a t S L U
Hand-tinted woodcut of Lincoln (1863).
MOCRA welcomes back
‘Silver Clouds’
They’re back! SLU’s Museum of Contemporary
Religious Art (MOCRA) announces a final show-ing
of its most popular show ever, Andy Warhol’s
“Silver Clouds.” First shown at MOCRA in 2001
and 2002, the largest-ever U.S. “Clouds” instal-lation
features dozens of silver mylar balloons
riding the air currents around MOCRA’s capa-cious
nave gallery. Visitors are invited to enter
into a childlike world of wonder and experience
one of Warhol’s groundbreaking experiments
with creating unique, non-traditional environ-ments.
MOCRA also will be showing a number
of Warhol’s “Sunset” prints. The “Clouds” open
in mid-September and continue through the fall
semester. Call MOCRA at (314) 977-7170 or visit
mocra.slu.edu for more information.
“Silver Clouds” fill the gallery during
the 2002 MOCRA showing.
New administrators join SLU
As of July 1,
Dr. Kent
Porterfield is
Saint Louis University’s
new vice president for
student development.
Porterfield comes to
SLU from Northwest
Missouri State Univer-sity,
where he was vice
president for student
affairs — a role he held
for nearly a decade. At SLU, Porterfield fosters
student formation through non-academic areas,
including residence life, student life, student
health and counseling, campus recreation
and community outreach. He also oversees
contracted services such as the bookstore
and dining services. At Northwest, Porterfield
led many of these same areas and worked to
enhance students’ lives.
Dr. Connie
Evashwick,
previously
an endowed chair and
director of the Center
for Health Care In-novation
at California
State University, Long
Beach, joined SLU as
dean of the Saint Louis
University School of
Public Health on
July 1. Over the years, she has combined her
academic career with consulting and direct
operations management. Evashwick has served
as vice president of long-term care for two
major health care systems and is a national
consultant to health systems, hospitals and
long-term care organizations. She is the author
or editor of 12 books and more than 100 other
publications.
News Briefs
Saint Louis University again opened its doors
to the area’s homeless population to provide
a hot meal and clothing. During SLU’s annual
“Open Doors” event March 23, hundreds
of homeless individuals also received free
employment and housing assistance, legal
services and opportunities to pursue literacy
education.
SLU President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., and Dr.
Ellen Harshman (Grad ’78, Law ’92), dean
of the John Cook School of Business, were
named to the St. Louis Business Journal’s
“Influentials” list this spring. The list recognizes
area business and community leaders who
make a difference to the region. Biondi was
honored as one of 10 “legends” — individuals
“who have gone beyond being influential to
become legends in our region and beyond.”
Dr. Bruce R. Bacon, professor of internal
medicine and director of the division of
gastroenterology and hepatology at the
School of Medicine, has been appointed to the
National Commission on Digestive Diseases,
an institute of the National Institutes of
Health and the National Institute of Diabetes
and Digestive Diseases. The commission,
comprising 16 people, is charged with
conducting an overview of research in digestive
diseases and developing a strategic plan for
the next 10 years of NIH digestive disease
research.
Saint Louis University Provost Dr. Joe
Weixlmann was named “Distinguished
Editor of the Year” by the Council of Editors
of Learned Journals. The award recognizes
Weixlmann’s dedication and excellence in
his work with African American Review, the
official publication of the Modern Language
Association’s Division on Black American
Literature and Culture. He was editor in chief
from 1976-2004.
The St. Louis Jesuits, sometimes called “the
fathers of contemporary American liturgical
music,” received an honorary doctorate of
music from Creighton University this spring.
Roc O’Connor S.J. (A&S ’73), Bob Dufford
S.J. (A&S ’67, Grad ’72, ’75), John Foley S.J.
(A&S ’68, Grad ’68, ’74), and Dan Schutte
(A&S ’72), who were featured in the fall 2005
Universitas, were recognized for their 30 years
of ministry to the Church.
U N I V E R S I TA S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I TA S S UMME R 2 0 0 6
Community service tops 750,000 hours
Members of the Saint Louis University community continue to live the institution’s
mission as 14,602 students, faculty and staff contributed 753,808 hours of com-munity
service and outreach during 2005, according to a recently released University
report. This is the second year in a row that members of the University have performed more
than 750,000 hours of service. According to the report, more than 1,270 organizations and
events benefited from SLU faculty and staff volunteerism, up from 1,110 in 2004. Faculty and
staff spent 71,903 hours performing community service in 2005, a drastic jump from 41,533
hours previously. Student service also is intensive. Through academic courses, internships and
campus organizations, students committed more than 76,768 hours to outreach.
SLU students spend
spring break in service
During spring break in March
more than 50 Saint Louis Uni-versity
students participated in
rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. Of
the group, 39 SLU students assisted Ser-vice
International with the demolition of
buildings that were flooded or destroyed
by Hurricane Katrina. After demolition,
the students helped with power washing,
sanitizing and rebuilding efforts. Another
15 SLU students worked with Operation
Helping Hands, where they helped remove
debris in neighborhoods and assisted with
light carpentry, as well as construction and
restoration of homes and buildings.
This year, about 150 SLU students partic-ipated
in spring break mission trips not only
to New Orleans, but other U.S. locations as
well as sites in Mexico and El Salvador.
Social justice magazine
debuts on campus
Current SLU students from various cross-cultural and social
justice groups on campus have collaborated to produce a
student-led, student-run magazine that aims to raise aware-ness
about international social justice issues. Based upon the Jesuit
mission, One World focuses attention on men and women around
the world who are in dire need of help. Whether it’s poverty and
starvation in the developing world or genocide in Sudan, SLU stu-dent
writers explore humanitarian issues in an effort to make read-ers
realize that they have capacity and responsibility to get involved.
To view the magazine online, visit www.sluoneworld.com. Or to
order a copy of the 40-page magazine, send your request and 5 contri-bution
to: One World c/o Donna Bess; Busch Student Center, Suite 237; 20 N. Grand Blvd.; St.
Louis, MO 63103. Make checks payable to Saint Louis University.
AHarvard University team recently won the
Urban Land Institute Gerald D. Hines
Student Urban Design Competition,
which was held March 31 at Saint Louis Univ
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textFall 2006 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityCatching up with SLU’s
Madrid Campus page 8
Not Your Typical College Cafeteria page 14 Shimmy Gray-Miller: Off Court, On the Record page 18
E d i t o r
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
C o n t r i b u t o r s
Jeff Fowler
Nancy Solomon
“ O n C a m p u s ” n e w s s t o r i e s
University Communications
Medical Center Media Relations
Billiken Media Relations
De s i g n
Art Direction: Matthew Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opin-ions
expressed in Universitas are those of the individual
authors and not necessarily those of the University admin-istration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs are
welcome but will be returned only if accompanied by a
stamped, self-addressed envelope. Letters to the editor
must be signed, and letters not intended for publication
should indicate that fact. The editor reserves the right to
edit all items. Address all mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall
39, 221 N. Grand, St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept e-mail
at [email protected] and fax submissions at (314) 977-2249.
Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
and mailed by Specialty Mailing.
Worldwide circulation: 111,720
© 2006, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Volume 3 3 , I ssue 1
I was having dinner in Beirut with the presi-dent
of Notre Dame University of Lebanon
on July 12 when he got the call: Hezbollah
militants had just abducted two Israeli soldiers.
At that point, I had no idea just how harrowing
the next week would be.
When I left for Lebanon just two days ear-lier
to deliver Notre Dame’s commencement ad-dress,
I had no indication a crisis was brewing.
But by July 13 all hell broke loose. From my
hotel in northern Beirut, I heard Israeli jets at-tacking
the Hezbollah section of the city. From
my balcony I could see clouds of black smoke
rise into the air, and at night I could see fires on
the horizon. When the airport and major roads
were bombed, I began to wonder when — if
— I would get back to St. Louis.
For the most part, I felt safe. Because the ho-tel
was in the so-called Christian area of greater
Beirut, we were told it was unlikely to be a tar-get.
Even so, the fighting grew more intense ev-ery
day. Occasional black-outs
and media warnings
to stay in the hotel kept
me on edge. Even more
unnerving, days passed
with no word from the
staff at the U.S. embassy,
even though I had taken
care to register my pres-ence
with them several
times. Literally waiting
by the phone in my hotel
room, I began to feel like
a hostage.
Finally — at 3 a.m.
on July 19 — Saint Louis
University’s general counsel called to say he had
received word from the State Department that
I would be leaving on the cruise ship the Orient
Queen that day and would be permitted only
one 30-pound bag.
I rounded up my essential documents, left
my other luggage behind and headed to the des-ignated
staging area. Waiting in line, I heard
bombs exploding, sounding like thunderclaps
reverberating in every direction.
After showing my passport to the embassy
staff, I boarded a bus to the Beirut seaport. I
joined about 200 men, women and children
gathered there, all of us anxious to be cleared
to board ship. Bombs were dropping just a few
miles away; it was the closest I had been to the
fighting.
We finally left port at 4 p.m. with an Ameri-can
warship, the U.S.S. Gonzalez, following us
in a corridor only half a mile wide. The Gonza-lez
accompanied us all the way to Cyprus. We
arrived just after midnight, but a ship bearing
French national evacuees from Beirut had ar-rived
before us, so we had to stay on the Orient
Queen for three more hours.
Tension was high. Everyone was anxious to
get off the ship, find a place to stay and begin
making their necessary travel arrangements.
Some people fainted; some got angry. There was
some pushing and shoving and even a fistfight.
When more than 1,000 of us were told we could
disembark, the exodus process became chaotic.
Eventually, I got off the ship and to a taxi
that took me to a hotel about 50 miles away.
I was able to catch a chartered plane the next
evening, and I finally arrived in St. Louis at 1
p.m. July 21. It had taken me about 12 hours to
get from the United States to Lebanon by plane.
It took me nearly 52 hours — by bus, ship, taxi
and plane — to get home.
Although I was relieved to be out of war-torn
Lebanon, I must
confess that my experi-ences
there were among
the most memorable of
my life. I’m not saying I’d
willingly do it again, but
I am genuinely grateful
that I had an opportunity
to get to know and appre-ciate
the Lebanese people
and see how resiliently
they handled this crisis.
I also am genuinely
grateful for the sober-ing
moments I spent in
my hotel room thinking
about my life, my relationships and my work at
SLU. I know I have a reputation for being some-what
tough and business-minded at times. But I
came to realize how fortunate I am — with the
help of my God — that so many people were
thinking of and praying for me.
Even several months later, I continue to re-flect
on my life-changing experiences in Leba-non.
I am not a politician, but I know that
what’s most important is to settle this conflict
for the long term. If not, the Lebanese and Is-raeli
people — especially the children — will
continue to suffer. And unlike me, they won’t
get a call at three in the morning to board the
Orient Queen and get out.
— Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
A version of this essay appeared July 30 on the Com-mentary
page of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
President’s Message
photo by Jim Visser
U N I V E R S I T A S F A L L 2 0 0 6
F E AT U R E S
Universidad
de San Luis
SLU’s Madrid campus
offers students the world.
By Laura Geiser
A landmark campus gateway framed by fall foliage.
Photo by Kevin Lowder
DE PA R TMEN T S
2 On Campus
Arena groundbreaking Update on
SLU’s national rankings Lincoln
exhibit brings visitors to campus
6 Billiken News
Soccer stadium readies for the College
Cup Forward pass marks its 100th
7 Campaign Update
Campaign already exceeds 80.5 million
multipurpose Arena Aug. 28 at the Arena site near Compton
and Laclede avenues. University officials, coaches and student
athletes as well as St. Louis dignitaries were in attendance to celebrate
the new facility, which includes a 10,600-seat Arena, a practice facil-ity,
athletics offices, locker rooms and training facilities.
“It has taken us a long time to get here,” said University President
Lawrence Biondi, S.J. “While I am not known as the most patient
man in St. Louis, I never lost faith that we would get to this day. And,
thankfully, there were many others who believed as I did.”
The new Arena will be home to Billikens men’s and women’s bas-ketball
and will host a variety of other events such as concerts, confer-ences,
trade shows and commencements. It is expected to bring more
than 400,000 people to Midtown St. Louis each year. St. Louis-based
Clayco will build the Arena, with an expected opening in March
2008.
“There are few institutions in St. Louis that have done more to
enhance life in the city than Saint Louis University,” said Barry H.
Beracha, chairman of the SLU board of trustees. “I ask our friends
from throughout the region to help us complete the fundraising for
this wonderful facility.”
Arena donors were recognized at the event, which also brought out
hundreds of faculty, staff, students and Billiken fans to witness the
beginning of the long-awaited project.
“This is one of the greatest days in Billiken
athletics history, and I’m overjoyed to be here
and be part of it,” said director of athletics
Cheryl L. Levick. “This building is a product
of a tremendous grass roots fundraising effort
because this is a privately funded facility that
did not tap into student fees or tuition dol-lars.
No matter the size of the gift, everyone
involved in contributing to this building has
the right to be extremely proud today.”
“I want to thank Father Biondi and the
board of trustees for giving our program the
opportunity to compete on a national level,”
said men’s basketball head coach Brad Soder-berg.
“When we bring recruits to campus, they now will know that we
are serious about competing with the best programs in the country.”
“The University administration has done its job in bringing this
building to life,” said women’s basketball head coach Shimmy Gray-
Miller. “Now I promise that I will do my job, my staff will do its job, and
our student-athletes will do their job to produce winning basketball.”
The Arena complex will be built on University-owned property
on the eastern end of campus and will be visible from Interstate 64/
Highway 40. It will be funded through fundraising, 1 million for the Arena, moving the University
closer to the project fundraising goal.
For others who would like to make a gift, there still is time to be
part of the Arena project. To make a donation online, go to arena.slu.
edu or call (314) 977-2499. — JF
Arena construction under way;
opening planned for March 2008
Top: The official groundbreakers: (from left) Dan Mitchell, partner, Mackey Mitchell
Associates; L.B. Eckelkamp, SLU trustee; Joe Imbs, president, St. Louis market, U.S.
Bank; Thomas Brouster Sr., SLU trustee; Soderberg; Levick; Dr. Joe Weixlmann, SLU
provost; Biondi; St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay; Kathleen Brady, SLU vice president for
facilities management and civic affairs; Gray-Miller; 19th Ward Alderman Michael
McMillan; Beracha, Vince Schoemehl, president, Grand Center; Bob Clark, Clayco
chairman and chief executive officer; and Evan Krauss, president, SLU Student
Government Association. Middle: St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay (Law ’80) addresses
the crowd. Above: Gray-Miller, Biondi, Soderberg and Levick throw the dirt.
U.S.News keeps SLU
on its ‘Best Buy’ list
For the ninth consecutive year, U.S.News & World
Report has recognized Saint Louis University as one
of the nation’s best values in higher education. In
its special “America’s Best Colleges” issue, U.S.
News lists SLU among the top 50 national, doctoral
universities on its coveted “Great Schools, Great
Prices” list. SLU joins Georgetown and Boston College
among the Catholic institutions on the best values list.
In addition, SLU climbed to No. 77 on U.S. News’ rankings of the
nearly 250 national universities in the country — a list topped by
Princeton and Harvard. It’s the third straight year that SLU has risen in
these rankings. Once again, SLU ranked among the top five Catholic
institutions in the country on this overall list.
Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology’s aerospace
engineering program was ranked No. 5, and undergraduate engineering
programs overall were ranked 29th among engineering schools whose
highest degree is a master’s.
SLU’s undergraduate business programs in the John Cook School of
Business again were ranked among the top 100 of the nation.
Princeton Review
also honors SLU
The Princeton Review has named Saint Louis University one of the top
institutions in the country for undergraduate education. SLU also was
listed as one of the best universities in the Midwest in the 2007 edition
of Princeton Review’s annual book, The Best 361 Colleges. Only about
15 percent of four-year colleges in America and two Canadian colleges
made the publication. The book does not rank the colleges 1 to 361 in
any single category.
The book’s rankings are based on a survey
of 110,000 students attending the
colleges in the book. In the survey,
SLU students spoke highly of the
University’s business, pre-med and
pre-law programs as well as unique
programs in aviation and nutrition.
Survey respondents also noted that
SLU students are friendly and that
the University offers a great library.
Doisy College of health
sciences adds new programs
Already experiencing an enroll-ment
boom, Saint Louis Uni-versity’s
Edward and Margaret
Doisy College of Health Sciences an-ticipates
even more growth in the future
as it prepares to assume responsibility
for three programs that will be discon-tinued
at the Barnes-Jewish College of
Nursing and Allied Health in St. Louis
next year.
Dr. Charlotte Royeen, dean of Doisy
College, said next fall SLU plans to offer
the following new options for SLU stu-dents,
pending approval by the board of
trustees: A new bachelor of science pro-gram
in radiation therapy; a new bache-lor
of science program in cytotechnology;
and a proposed expansion of the graduate
program in the department of nutrition
and dietetics.
SLU and Barnes-Jewish officials are
working to make sure that the transition
for both students and employees goes
smoothly. Some faculty at Barnes-Jew-ish
College will join the faculty of SLU’s
Doisy College, and students enrolled in
SLU programs still will have the option
of participating in clinical training on-site
at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
SLU honors Maronite patriarch
Saint Louis University bestowed its highest honor, the Sword of Ignatius Loyola, on
the patriarch of the Maronite Catholic Church June 30. His Beatitude and Eminence
Nasrallah Peter Cardinal Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, visited St. Louis
as part of a pastoral visit to America. He was the most significant religious figure to visit St.
Louis since Pope John Paul II in 1999, and his visit marked only the fourth time a Maronite
patriarch has journeyed to the United States. Sfeir also received an honorary doctorate of laws
from Saint Louis University.
En route to the award ceremony, University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., (right) shares a light moment with Maronite
Bishop Robert J. Shaheen (far left) and Cardinal Sfeir (second from left).
Photos by Steve Dolan
Photo by Kevin Lowder
U N I V E R S I T A S w w w . s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S F A L L 2 0 0 6
Gilsinan
to accept
professorship,
step down
as dean
Saint Louis University’s College of
Public Service has reached a new
milestone: the establishment of its
first named professorship. Civic leader E.
Desmond “Des” Lee provided funding to
support the E. Desmond Lee Professor-ship
in Collaborative Regional Education.
Dr. James Gilsinan, dean of the Col-lege
of Public Service, has been named
the first holder of the professorship. Be-cause
the professorship requires teaching,
research and service, Gilsinan will step
down as dean and rejoin the faculty on
a full-time basis at the end of December.
The honor recognizes Gilsinan’s decades
of service to St. Louis area schools, local
governments and non-profit organiza-tions.
As a Des Lee Professor, Gilsinan
will join scholars from Washington Uni-versity
in St. Louis and the University of
Missouri-St. Louis in researching ways to
help schools and communities improve
the lives of young people.
Michael Frayn wins Literary Award
The Saint Louis University Library Associates will pres-ent
the Saint Louis Literary Award to Tony Award-winning
playwright, novelist and translator Michael
Frayn at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10, in the Anheuser-Busch
Auditorium of SLU’s John and Lucy Cook Hall. The pro-gram
is free and open to the public.
Frayn is the author of several plays, including Noises Off,
Democracy and Copenhagen, which won the 2000 Tony Award
for Best Play. He has written several novels including The Tin
Men, The Russian Interpreter and Spies. He also has translated
several plays by Chekov and Tolstoy from Russian.
In receiving the award, Frayn joins a select group of previous
recipients, including Robert Penn Warren, Arthur Miller and
Tom Wolfe. The award has been presented annually since 1967.
Researchers tackle
mold removal
Armed with a $408,000 grant from
the Department of Housing and
Urban Development, a team from
Saint Louis University School of Public
Health hopes to create universal stan-dards
for getting rid of mold in homes and
buildings. Dr. Anu Dixit, assistant profes-sor
of environmental and occupational
health and principal investigator, said that
the team will review existing, inconsistent
guidelines for mold removal from homes
and buildings by surveying about 400
mold assessment and remediation profes-sionals.
The team will then use the re-sponses
to develop a single comprehensive,
scientifically sound plan for homeowners
and mold remediation experts to follow.
“The timing couldn’t be better for Hur-ricane
Katrina and Rita victims, some of
whom are still battling mold problems in
their homes and businesses,” Dixit said.
News Briefs
Saint Louis University has appointed Karla Gable director of undergraduate admission. She
most recently was assistant vice president of business development at the Missouri Higher
Education Loan Authority (MOHELA), where she oversaw all marketing and public relations
efforts. Prior to joining MOHELA in 2000, Gable was associate dean of enrollment and director
of financial aid at Westminster College in Fulton, Mo.
Dr. Neil Seitz has stepped down as interim dean of Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and
Technology. Dr. Manoj Patankar (Parks ’92), associate professor and chairman of aviation
science, has been named interim dean. A committee has been formed to begin the search for a
new dean for Parks.
Covering more than three-dozen specialties, 112 SLUCare doctors have been selected for
St. Louis Magazine’s 2006 “Best Doctors” list. The list is based on the annual “Best Doctors
in America” database, which considers more than one million peer evaluations to create a
directory of approximately 30,000 doctors. A total of 104 SLUCare physicians were chosen for
last year’s list.
Dr. Teri Murray (Nurs ’79, Grad ’93, ’97) has been named the new director of the School of
Nursing in the Doisy College of Health Sciences. Murray, previously the associate director,
succeeds interim director Dr. Margie Edel. Murray, also an associate professor of nursing,
recently was named to the prestigious 2006 Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows
Program, which provides individual leadership development for nurses who aspire to lead
and shape the U.S. health care system. She is also the president of the Missouri State Board
of Nursing.
Dr. Jennifer Kohler (A&S ’93, Grad ’97, ’99) is the new director of the School for Professional
Studies. She is the first director of the school in a new position created as a result of the recent
merger with the College of Public Service. Kohler previously served as director of organizational
studies, interim associate dean and associate dean in the School for Professional Studies.
The National Defense Transportation Association has named Saint Louis University’s Dr. Ik-
Whan Kwon (Grad ’90), professor of decision sciences and management information systems,
as the 2006 recipient of the NDTA Educator Distinguished Service Award. Kwon is recognized
internationally for his specialization in supply chain design and management and is director of
the Consortium for Supply Chain Management Studies at the John Cook School of Business.
Campus goes wireless
This summer, Saint Louis Uni-versity’s
information technology
staffers and subcontractors pulled
150,000 feet of wire throughout campus
to make SLU completely wireless. Now
the University’s wireless network includes
the entire campus — including residence
halls and academic buildings.
Campus Kitchen marks its fifth
anniversary and serves its 125,000th meal
In September, Saint Louis University’s Campus Kitchen cel-ebrated
its fifth anniversary and served its 125,000th meal. In
2001, SLU served as the pilot school for the Campus Kitchens
Project, a growing network of Campus Kitchens that are hosted by
universities across the country.
Each Campus Kitchen shares dining hall kitchen space with
host universities; partners with campus dining to recycle safe, us-able
food that would normally go to waste; and mobilizes college
students and community volunteers to make and deliver meals to
the community.
Each month, SLU Campus Kitchen volunteers deliver more
than 2,000 meals and snacks to local residents, community cen-ters
and after-school programs. Volunteers prepare meals in an on-campus
cafeteria and then deliver them to individual families and
group service centers.
SLU’s success has paved the way for the Campus Kitchens Proj-ect
to schedule three new site openings this fall, bringing the net-work
to 10 Campus Kitchens nationwide.
Sobrino returns to
SLU after 15 years
One of Saint Louis University’s
most famous alumni was back
on campus in September for
the first time in 15 years. SLU’s Great Is-sues
Committee welcomed Jon Sobrino,
S.J. (A&S ’62, Grad ’65), who discussed
“Being Christian in a World of Poor
and Victims.” Sobrino’s contributions to
theology have been recognized with nu-merous
awards, includin
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSpring 2009 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis UniversityVolume 35, Issue 2
Editor
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
Contributors
Clayton Berry
David Chilenski (Cook ’98)
Marie Dilg (Grad SW ’94)
John Gilmore (A&S ’88)
Nick Sargent
“On Campus” news stories
University Communications
Medical Center Communications
Billiken Media Relations
Cover Photo
Kevin Lowder
Design
Art Direction: Matt Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University.
Opinions expressed in Universitas are those of the
individual authors and not necessarily those of the
University administration. Unsolicited manuscripts and
photographs are welcome but will be returned only if
accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Letters to the editor must be signed, and letters not
intended for publication should indicate that fact. The
editor reserves the right to edit all items. Address all
mail to Universitas, DuBourg Hall 39, One Grand Blvd.,
St. Louis, Mo. 63103. We accept e-mail at utas@
slu.edu and fax submissions at (314) 977-2249.
Address fax submissions to Editor, Universitas.
Postmaster: Send address changes to
Universitas, Saint Louis University,
One Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed and mailed by
Cenveo-Color Art Printing Inc.
Worldwide circulation: 111,390
© 2009, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
FALL 2004 WINTER 2005
Greetings to Saint Louis
University’s many alumni
and friends around the
world. I hope the beauty and hope
of spring has met you with a warm
embrace wherever this message may
find you.
Unfortunately, as you know all
too well, the economy weighs on
the shoulders of our nation. In fact,
in this issue of Universitas, you will
read interviews with six of Saint
Louis University’s brightest business
and economic minds. You will find
that they are cautiously optimistic
about the year we have ahead of us,
and they believe that our collective
will is strong. They are confident a
recovery will occur in due time.
This downturn has affected us
all, even here at SLU. However, I
am proud to report that Saint Louis University
remains in a strong financial position thanks to
years of prudent spending, as well as responsible
planning and investment.
We know the economy is profoundly affecting
our students and their families as well as our
alumni and generous donors. That’s why we
continue our dedication to being stalwart stew-ards
of our students’ tuition dollars and of the
generous gifts from friends and alumni like you.
For the next academic year, we have com-mitted
to raising tuition just 2 percent. We
chose this modest increase to assure the afford-ability
of a SLU education for our students and
their families during these difficult times.
With the sagging economy in mind, we
have sought new and innovative ways to make
the most of our budget dollars. In this issue
of Universitas, you will read about one such
program: Quantum Weather.
This one-of-a-kind weather system is allow-ing
the St. Louis utility company, AmerenUE,
to monitor weather systems on a block-by-
block basis — and it’s thanks to SLU’s
department of earth and atmospheric sciences.
A group of SLU professors and researchers
collaborated with the utility to create this in-novative
solution.
The project is an excellent example of the
type of private-public partnerships that help
our professors and researchers make practical
use of their research. It also fulfills our mission
of assisting our community. For the first time,
AmerenUE can pinpoint the likely effect severe
weather will have on specific neighborhoods
so the company can efficiently and quickly
send repair crews to shorten the length of time
customers go without power.
As we move forward, the University will
seek more of these unique partnerships. I feel
strongly that in order to strengthen com-munities
like St. Louis — and those in which
you live — government, private industry and
educational institutions must work together.
Each entity is like a leg of a stool supporting
the greater good. And especially in these dif-ficult
economic times, we must strike the right
balance, or we may all fall down.
As we face the reality of tighter budgets,
such partnerships will not only help us make
the most of our limited funds, they will aid
in the further development of our cities and
regions. Such a critical mass of collaborative
decision makers and innovative thinkers can
only result in positives for all of us.
I am confident that in the months and years
to come even more of these partnerships will
come to fruition on the SLU campus, mak-ing
your generous gifts even more effective in
transforming the world around us.
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.
President
Photo by Jim Visser
{ president’s message } { contents }
8 | Set for more
SLU’s volleyball team earned a top 25 national ranking and
an NCAA bid thanks to a season that surprised even the
coach. — By Nick Sargent
12 | Economy 101
Six SLU experts tackle questions about the nation’s financial
crisis and offer their opinions on what to expect next.
— By David Chilenski and Nick Sargent
17 | A Quantum Leap in Forecasting
SLU’s partnership with the local electric company has yielded
a weather monitoring, forecasting and response system that’s
already in use. — By John Gilmore
20 | Choice Firsts
SLU history is filled with many milestones. Here are the stories
behind several of those memorable dates. — By Marie Dilg
2 | On Campus
Japanese visitors bring
their Billiken to campus
• New majors unveiled •
Service and spirituality
site for alumni • Students
for Life • Art exhibitions
6 | Billiken News
Hall of Fame inductees
• Soccer accolades
• Baseball at Busch
Stadium
7 | Advancement News
A conversation with Dr.
Boyd A. Bradshaw, vice
provost for enrollment
management
24 | class notes
Catch up with classmates.
28 | In Memoriam
Remembering those
members of the SLU
community who recently
died
30 | alumni events
Find SLU alumni
activities wherever you
live.
32 | Perspective
An alumnus explains the
importance of folklore.
33 | the last word
Letters to the editor
features
depar tments
17 20
8
12
2 5
2 U NI V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 3
{ on campus }
Saint Louis University is launching several
new undergraduate majors to prepare
students for some of the country’s hottest
careers. It’s also enhancing its communi-cation
program to meet the needs of the
21st century.
In October the Saint Louis University Billiken met his Japanese
brother as two special visitors arrived from Osaka, Japan, with a
hand-carved Billiken statue.
Normally, the Japanese Billiken — a 2-foot-tall, 30-pound
wooden statue — resides in a shrine atop the 298-foot-tall Tsuten-kaku
Tower. Each year, thousands of visitors donate a coin and
rub the soles of the Billiken’s feet to make a wish. (In St. Louis it’s
considered good luck to rub his belly.)
The Japanese visitors were in St. Louis because 2008 marked the
100th anniversary of the Billiken, and they wanted to see where their
revered good luck symbol got his start.
Created by Florence Pretz in 1908, the Billiken enjoyed world-wide
fame in his heyday. In 1912, a Billiken figure was displayed in
an amusement park in Osaka as a symbol of Americana. When the
park closed in 1923, the wooden statue of the Billiken disappeared.
In 1980, to help revive the city’s Tsutenkaku Tower, a replica of the
Billiken statue that once appeared in the park was made based on an
old photograph and placed on the tower’s observation deck.
Last fall, that same Billiken toured America, along with Ryuko
Takai, a vice president with the company that owns the tower, and
Kei Iguchi, a writer with the Daily Yomiuri, Japan’s largest English-language
newspaper. Takai took the wooden statue to visit key spots
in Billiken history. Iguchi chronicled the visit. Their first stop was
St. Louis.
At SLU, they hopped on golf carts for a campus tour. As they
came up on SLU’s iconic bronze Billiken statue, the men gasped
with excitement. They jumped out of the cart for photos, and Takai
placed their wooden Billiken face-to-face with his American brother.
While they were admiring the statue, SLU’s Billiken mascot made
a surprise appearance. The visitors were clearly excited to see the cos-tumed
creature.
As Takai and Iguchi rode away in a golf cart on to see another
Billiken statue on campus and take a quick tour of Chaifetz Arena
— where they placed the Osaka Billiken on center court —Takai
summed up their affection for SLU’s beloved mascot: “Goodbye, my
Billiken brother!” — Clayton Berry
Japanese Billiken visits American brother at SLU
Photo by Clayton Berry
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
News Briefs
In January, Dr. Devin Johnston, associate
professor of English, was named a finalist for
a National Book Critics Circle award in poetry,
one of the world’s most prestigious literary
awards. Johnston’s Sources, a book of poetry
released last fall, was selected, and it’s the
first time that a member of the SLU faculty has
been up for the award.
Dr. Bert Barry (Grad ’95) is SLU’s new director
of international services. Most recently he was
director of English as a second language and
director of international services for Webster
University in St. Louis. At SLU Barry works to
promote, recruit and enroll international students
and students studying abroad. He also facilitates
cross-cultural educational experiences on cam-pus
for students and academic departments.
In November SLU Provost Joe Weixlmann was
recognized by his alma mater, Canisius College,
with a Distinguished Alumni Award for embodying
“the Jesuit ideal of intellectual excellence, leader-ship
and service to others.” He is a 1968 graduate
of the Buffalo, N.Y.-based Jesuit institution.
Dr. James Kelhoffer, associate professor of
theological studies, is a winning author in Alpha
Sigma Nu’s 29th annual Book Award competi-tion.
His book The Diet of John the Baptist was
chosen from entries submitted from among the
33 member Jesuit institutions of higher educa-tion.
Winning books are selected by Alpha
Sigma Nu, the Jesuit honor society, and by the
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities,
which supervises the competition.
Kate Becker (A&S ’83), former SLU Medical
Center associate general counsel, is now ex-ecutive
director of the University Medical Group.
As executive director, she oversees all opera-tions,
planning and the budget for the UMG.
In February SLU was recognized as one of the
region’s best places to work by readers of the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who voted SLU one
of “St. Louis’ Top Employers” in an online poll.
The University was one of only three employers
named for providing the best benefits. And in
January, St. Louis Magazine once again named
SLU one of St. Louis’ “Great Places to Work.”
Only 58 firms made the magazine’s list this year.
Saint Louis University’s School for Profes-sional
Studies, which provides degrees and
certificates designed for busy adults, is launch-ing
a bachelor’s degree in general studies that
will be offered totally online. The new general
studies degree also can be earned on site or in
a combination of both formats.
SLU named to national honor roll
In February, SLU was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service
Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to disadvantaged youth. The
prestigious award is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment
to service-learning and civic engagement. Honorees for the award were chosen based on a
series of factors, including innovativeness of service projects and the percentage of student
participation in service.
SLU professor is new provincial
of the jesuits’ missouri province
Adolfo Nicolas, S.J., superior general of the Society
of Jesus, has appointed a Saint Louis University
professor as the next provincial of the Missouri Province.
Douglas Marcouiller, S.J., associate professor of econom-ics,
will have responsibility for some 300 Jesuits working
in St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Kansas, Oklahoma,
Belize and in many other places throughout the world.
In addition to his teaching duties at SLU, Marcouiller
serves as rector of Bellarmine House of Studies, which
provides religious and academic formation for Jesuit
students. He also travels regularly to Central America
to teach short courses in economics at the Universidad
Centroamericana, the Jesuit university in El Salvador.
Marcouiller succeeds the current provincial, Timothy
McMahon, S.J. (A&S ’80), July 31.
expansion in
communication
In addition, SLU is adding
four new areas of study to
its undergraduate com-munication
program for the
fall, including journalism and
public relations. The Univer-sity
also will put more focus
on practical education and
hands-on experience with
cutting-edge technologies.
civil engineering
Next fall, Parks College of Engineer-ing,
Aviation and Technology will
offer an undergraduate degree in civil
engineering, a career field expected
to grow by nearly 20 percent during
the next decade. The new major will
have a strong focus on sustainable
engineering and green technologies,
and will be the only one of its kind in
St. Louis.
health management
The School of Public
Health’s new health man-agement
major is tailored for
students who want to study
the business of health care
and medicine. Students in
the new major are get-ting
personalized attention
from the same faculty who
teach courses for SLU’s No.
12-ranked master of health
administration program.
environmental studies
SLU also plans to add an
environmental studies major,
which will offer environ-mentally
focused courses
in science, communica-tion,
business, philosophy,
theology, prelaw and more.
This new program will help
students understand the
economic, political, legal and
ethical forces that influence
environmental issues.
SLU launches new
majors for fall 2009
Photo by James Visser
From left: SLU’s bronze Billiken,
Ryuko Takai, the Japanese
Tsutenkaku Tower Billiken and
SLU’s Billiken mascot.
Marcouiller
Saint Louis University’s department of nu-trition
and dietetics is celebrating its 75th
anniversary by releasing a book. Making
It: Gardens to Tables mixes recipes from
top St. Louis chefs with the story of how
the department began using cooking and
gardening to teach that local, homegrown
food is good for diners, good for the envi-ronment
and good for the community.
Through photos and words, Making It
traces how the department grew to empha-size
sustainable food systems and created one of the only programs in the
country that combines the art of cooking with the science of nutrition. It
also focuses on SLU’s commitment to reach out to children in the commu-nity
and explain to them why French fries aren’t the
only vegetable they should eat.
Published by SLU’s Doisy College of Health Sci-ences
and Reedy Press, the book costs 1,000 to
3,000 award. Any additional siblings attending SLU as
undergraduates also would be eligible for the award, which will
be added to any other scholarships or grants a student may be
awarded.
From left: Students for Life
members Hannah Diamond, Katie
Marx, Briana Klostermann, Sarah
Daubach, Rachel Rath, Amy
Winkler and Matt VonRueden
at the Capitol in
Washington, D.C.
New book
shares
nutrition
story and
recipes
New graduate degrees
to debut this fall
Students interested in pursuing
graduate studies at Saint Louis
University will have two new options
this fall.
supply chain management
SLU’s John Cook School of Business will
offer a new master’s degree in supply
chain management. As businesses look for
a competitive advantage in today’s global
economy, there’s increasing demand for
skilled professionals in this field.
health informatics
As technology revolutionizes the health
care field, SLU’s Doisy College of Health
Sciences is preparing students with a
new graduate program in health informat-ics.
The new master’s degree program
will allow students to work as information
managers and executives in hospitals and
clinics, pharmaceutical companies and
research organizations as they learn how
technology is used to manage and store
health information.
Students for Life group
wins national honor
The Saint Louis University Students for Life group, which promotes
a pro-life message in the community, has been recognized by the
national Students for Life organization as “Group of the Year.”
During the Students for Life of America Conference in Wash-ington,
D.C., in January, SLU’s chapter received the award for
its large and dedicated base of student involvement, as well
as for implementing many pro-life initiatives. Each year, SLU’s
Students for Life sponsors Respect Life Week, planning events
around right-to-life issues. Last fall, the group established the
Virginia Murphy Pregnant and Parenting Student Assistance Fund,
an endowed scholarship that will provide assistance to any SLU
student facing unexpected pregnancy or parenthood.
Medical Center makes
changes to foster
inte g ration
A dministrative
changes at the
Medical Center
were announced in
January that aim to
enhance academic
departments and
increase efficiency.
In addition to serv-ing
as dean of the medical school, Dr.
Philip O. Alderson is now vice president
for health scien
Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University
No full textSummer 2008 issue of Universitas: the magazine of Saint Louis University. This is a special issue on new construction on campus, including the Chaifetz Arena and Doisy Research Center.Also inside:
Student callers
Health care
mission trips
The renovated
Rec Center
A professor’s
Irish discoveries
Fold out for a view of the Edward A. Doisy Research Center and the President’s Message »
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Saint L o u is Universi t y
Volume 34, Issue 2
E d i t o r
Laura Geiser (A&S ’90, Grad ’92)
C o n t r i b u t o r s
Clayton Berry
Marie Dilg (SW ’94)
Nick Sargent
Nancy Solomon
Alyssa Stahr (A&S ’04)
“ O n C a m p u s ” n e w s s t o r i e s
University Communications
Medical Center Communications
Billiken Media Relations
De s i g n
Art Direction: Matthew Krob
Universitas is published by Saint Louis University. Opin-ions
expressed in Universitas are those of the individual
authors and not necessarily those of the University ad-ministration.
Unsolicited manuscripts and photographs
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Universitas, Saint Louis University,
221 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103.
World Wide Web address:
www.slu.edu/pr/universitas.html
Universitas is printed by Universal Printing Co.
and mailed by Specialty Mailing.
Worldwide circulation: 121,844
© 2008, Saint Louis University
All rights reserved.
Cover photo by James Visser
Inside front cover photo by Steve Dolan
FALL 2004 WINTER 2005
Welcome to a special issue of Universitas.
And welcome to outstanding views of our
two newest campus landmarks.
Although Saint Louis University is ever changing,
rarely does so much happen here during a six-month
period. In December we dedicated our new Edward
A. Doisy Research Center, and in April we opened
Chaifetz Arena — the two largest building projects
in our 190 years. (Read in-depth stories on both
buildings in this issue.)
When you add in our Simon Recreation Center ren-ovations,
our first on-campus commencement in 60
years and the record service hours accrued by members
of the SLU community, it’s hard not to feel a sense of
history in the making on Grand Boulevard these days.
Indeed, in a few years when we look back on the
openings of these unprecedented buildings, I’m cer-tain
that we will see them as clear turning points
— moments when Saint Louis University’s place in
the city, nation and world changed forever.
And although it’s easy to get caught up in what
these facilities will mean to our history, I think it’s
most important to keep our focus on the future.
In other words: We’ve built the structures; now
we’ve got to make sure they fulfill their promise. That
means new scientific discoveries, lifesaving treatments
and cures for disease at the Doisy Research Center.
It also means re-energized student life, tournament-winning
basketball and an even stronger presence in
SLU’s Midtown neighborhood at Chaifetz Arena.
In some ways, this next key step is more challenging
than constructing both buildings at the same time.
That’s because ensuring the promise of these stunning
facilities is the responsibility of everyone in the SLU
community — students, faculty, staff and alumni.
Sure, some will play bigger roles. I cannot, for exam-ple,
treat liver disease. Nor am I much of a free-throw
shooter. But I can be a supporter of the work, efforts
and energy that make these buildings so special.
I’m sure you can be, too.
You may not know how to operate a microscope, but
that doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the clinical
trials or help fund the innovative discoveries at the Do-isy
Research Center. And, even if you’ve never dribbled
a basketball in your life, you can come down to Chaifetz
Arena to catch a Billiken game or enjoy a concert.
Your days on campus may be over, but please know
that these are still your buildings. So I hope you’ll
make a point of coming down to visit them to see
how they have changed the landscape here at SLU.
Besides, the photos in this issue of Universitas are
good, but they can’t beat the real thing.
Hope to see you on campus soon.
Lawrence Biondi, S.J.,
President
President ’ s
Mes sage
U N I V E R S I T A S S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 1
The dolphin pond near Ritter Hall.
Photo by Kevin Lowder
Building for
the Future
A first look at the
new Edward A.
Doisy Research
Center.
By Nancy Solomon
At
Last
An insider view of
Chaifetz Arena,
which opened in
April.
Photo by Steve Dolan Photo by Jim Visser
CONTENTS
DEPA RTMENTS
2 On Campus
Commencement at Chaifetz Service sets
records New medical school dean One
new ad campaign Ignatian Spirituality
Conference 50 years ago in Universitas
8 Billiken News
New athletic director Farewell to West
Pine Billikens meet the Cardinals
9 Advancement News
A conversation with Meg Connolly,
associate vice president for alumni relations.
39 Class Notes
Catch up with classmates.
44 In Memoriam
Remembering those members of the
SLU community who recently died.
46 Alumni Events
Find SLU alumni activities
wherever you live.
48 Perspective
The face of the MBA ads speaks out.
49 The Last Word
Letters to the editor
17
Callers I.D.’d
Meet the student
phoners who reach
out to alumni
every night.
By Laura Geiser
28
Higher Learning
SLU students
take their mission
of better health
around the world.
By Marie Dilg
32
Recreation
Destination
Simon Recreation
Center has been
expanded and
transformed.
By Alyssa Stahr
36
Dr. Thomas
Finan and the
Search for
the Medieval
Church
A SLU professor
digs into Ireland.
By Nick Sargent
35 Average miles per day registered on each of the center’s treadmills 42 Stationary bicycles in the center 1,500 Average number of patrons each day 534 Lockers in the center »
2 U NI V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 3
At the expanded and
renovated Simon
Recreation Center
Students initiated into the Catholic faith
On April 20, the Saint Louis University community came together to welcome students
embracing the Catholic faith. University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., led the celebration,
known as the Sacraments of Initiation, during SLU’s 10 p.m. Sunday Mass.
The University usually initiates students once a year during the Easter season. This year, 11 SLU
students were initiated. Students had studied the Catholic faith in a program known as the Rite
of Christian Initiation of Adults since last fall. During their study, students learned about the
fundamentals of the Catholic faith and then made the decision to join the Church.
“This is one of the most rewarding spiritual exercises I am happy to do as a Jesuit priest,” Biondi said.
“As president of SLU, it’s gratifying to celebrate our students making a commitment to embrace the
Catholic faith by seeking voluntarily the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and first Eucharist.”
Earthquake Center draws
congressional attention
With members of the local media in tow,
U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan toured the
Saint Louis University Earthquake
Center in May. He met with SLU researchers
to discuss recent seismic activity in the Midwest.
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Science Committee, Carnahan also was inter-ested
in learning what Congress can do to ad-vance
earthquake research and reporting.
The center’s director Dr. Robert Herrmann
discussed SLU’s cutting-edge research, which is
furthering the understanding of the seismic
hazards facing the region. He also explained
SLU’s network of earthquake monitoring
devices and showed the congressman several
new machines that will be deployed into the
field after testing. The center keeps an eye on
the New Madrid Fault and seismic hot spots
in the central United States.
During his tour, Carnahan also saw the Uni-versity’s
very first earthquake monitoring de-vice,
originally installed in DuBourg Hall in
1909. SLU’s Earthquake Center was one of the
nation’s first and remains a leader in the field.
SLU community
gives back in big way
In 2007, more than 19,000 members of the Saint
Louis University community completed 836,550
service and volunteer hours. It’s the first time ser-vice
hours have surpassed the 800,000-hour mark.
Student service accounted for about 90 percent of last year’s hours. Nearly 10,000 students
contributed service through programs run by the office of community outreach, Alpha Phi
Omega service fraternity and other Greek organizations. Students also complete service projects
through their classes and internships as well as through spring break mission trips in the United
States and abroad. Faculty and staff completed nearly 100,000 hours, and more than 1,100
organizations were helped last year.
And this service work has not gone unnoticed. In February, SLU received national recogni-tion
for its outreach efforts when it was named to the President’s Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts and service to disadvantaged youth. The award
is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning
and civic engagement.
Honorees for the award were chosen based on several factors, including innovativeness of
service projects and the percentage of student participation in service. At SLU, 96 percent of
students engage in some form of service during their time at the University.
U.S. News gives high marks
to SLU’s graduate programs
Saint Louis University’s health law program was ranked
No. 1 for the fifth consecutive year in U.S. News & World Report’s
“Best Graduate Schools 2009” issue, which hit stands in March.
The geriatrics program ranked No. 14, part-time MBA program
No. 16, occupational therapy No. 33, physical therapy No. 41,
social work No. 42, medicine No. 54, speech-language pathology
No. 60 and clinical psychology No. 92.
SLU Celebrates 2008 Commencement at Chaifetz Arena
Nearly 6,500 family and friends filled Saint Louis
University’s Chaifetz Arena May 17 to witness the
first class to celebrate commencement on campus
in 60 years.
SLU’s commencement outgrew on-campus venues in 1949,
when the event moved from West Pine Gym to Kiel Audito-rium,
where it remained for 30 years. Commencements then were held
in the Checkerdome and more recently at Scottrade Center.
University President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., said he hoped that the
graduates would return to the new arena to attend basketball games,
homecoming events and even the graduations of their children.
“Regardless of when and why you return, class of 2008, I hope you
come back to Chaifetz Arena and remember it fondly as the place
where you ended one great journey and began another,” Biondi said.
FOX television network play-by-play announcer Joe Buck delivered
this year’s commencement address.
“What a thrill this is for me, a lifelong St. Louisan, to participate
in the first graduation ceremony in this beautiful new jewel, Chaifetz
Arena,” Buck said.
Before he offered the graduates some advice, Buck dedicated his com-mencement
address to Ryan Green, a physics major, who was sporting
a large mohawk. (Buck had spotted him before taking to the stage.)
The quip drew big laughs and applause from the capacity crowd.
The laughter kept coming as Buck declared that the honorary doc-torate
he was about to receive would allow him to perform routine
medical procedures.
“I am scheduled to handle my first angioplasty this afternoon,” he
said. “I’m restructuring (injured Cardinals pitcher) Mark Mulder’s
shoulder tomorrow morning and (struggling Cardinals reliever) Jason
Isringhausen’s psyche tomorrow night.”
Buck then got serious, sharing
his own success story. Family con-nections,
he said, gave him access
to the broadcasting booth — his
late father Jack Buck was a Hall-of-
Fame broadcaster and former voice
of the Cardinals. His father also delivered SLU’s commencement ad-dress
back in 1995. “I admit that I got in the door because of my last
name, but after I got rolling, either I was going to be good enough or
I wasn’t,” Buck told the graduates. “Either I could handle the pressure
or it would handle me.”
Ultimately Buck handled the pressure and went on to become one
of the most respected names in sports broadcasting. During his career,
he has called some of the most memorable moments in recent sports
history. Hard work and relentless preparation propelled him to the
pinnacle of his profession, he said.
Buck also reminded the graduates that the real world is very dif-ferent
from college life. “Successful people don’t earn Bs. They don’t
get extensions for work assignments. And they can’t just turn off the
alarm because they don’t feel like going in.
“Do your best,” Buck said. “Have a plan and find out how great you
can be. I’m counting on you. This world needs you. Believe me.”
After the speech, Biondi conferred honorary degrees upon Buck,
Charles and Shirley Drury of Drury Inns Inc., and Build-A-Bear
Workshop founder Maxine Clark.
As the ceremony closed, Timothy McMahon, S.J., provincial of the
Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus, offered an invocation, call-ing
upon God to bless the graduates.
“Fill their minds with your love of knowledge, so that they will
be wise and prudent,” he prayed. “Touch their hearts, so that they
will overflow with compassion and love. Open their eyes, so that
they will recognize those who are lost and lonely. And keep them
close to you, so that one day they might share in your eternal life.”
— Clayton Berry
Buck delivers the commencement address.
Parks graduate Green.
Biondi baptizes freshman Brandon Murray.
Herrmann (left) and Carnahan.
Photos by Steve Dolan
Photo by Matt Schlanger, St. Louis Photo Group
Photo by Alyssa Stahr
Ads offer one view of SLU
In December, Saint Louis University unveiled a new marketing campaign
highlighting what makes the University unique and exceptional — teaching,
service and commitment to community. Designed to enhance SLU’s local
and regional image, the campaign informs people about what Saint Louis
University means to St. Louis. Through billboards, newspaper print ads, theater
program placements and radio spots, the ads reiterate the idea that “Saint
Louis University is the one.” Messages include:
Millions of lives changed. One Jesuit mission.
15 million addition
of the John and Lucy Cook Hall. In the fall of 2002 he returned to the
classroom. The award is named for the University’s first dean of women.
Dr. Rick Chaney, Madrid Campus vice provost and dean, has completed
his service there and will be returning to the faculty of the John Cook
School of Business, after taking a sabbatical in the fall semester. During
his 16-year tenure, Chaney helped increase enrollment, build a strong
academic foundation and create a complete campus environment for
students. Currently, SLU Madrid enrolls approximately 650 students each
semester — the maximum capacity for the campus. Frank Reale, S.J., vice
president for mission and ministry, is serving as interim vice provost while
a search is initiated for Chaney’s replacement.
More than 20 members of the SLU community will travel to Sydney
this summer to participate in World Youth Days, a week for the world’s
Catholic youth to come together to form friendships and gain a better
understanding of other countries, cultures and the Catholic faith. The
group will visit Australia July 10-26, and members will be posting their
experiences online as “virtual pilgrims” at worldyouthday.slu.edu.
Dr. James DuBois, director of SLU’s Center for Health Care Ethics, has
been elected as a representative on the United States Conference of
Catholic Bishops’ National Advisory Council. DuBois, who is the Mäder
Professor of Health Care Ethics, will serve a four-year term representing
Eastern Catholic Churches from Region 15.
Michael Lauer is SLU’s new director of public safety. Prior to arriving
at SLU, Lauer spent 20 years with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police
Department. Lauer reports to Sam Simon, the former director of public
safety for the City of St. Louis and a 22-year veteran of the St. Louis
police department. This fall, Simon filled a new role at the University:
director of emergency preparedness. Combined, the pair boasts nearly
50 years of experience in the field. They once worked together in the
police department and are both graduates of the FBI National Academy.
Dr. John Watzke, chairman of the department of educational studies,
is the new interim dean of the College of Education and Public Service.
Watzke came to SLU last year from the Institute for Educational Initiatives
at the University of Notre Dame.
Marking a trend in nursing education that responds to the need for
nurses to know more, Saint Louis University School of Nursing is
launching a new online doctoral program for advance practice nurses.
Nurse practitioners who have their master’s degrees may apply for the
online doctor of nursing practice, which begins this fall. SLU’s program is
the only one in the St. Louis area and one of two in Missouri.
4 U NI V E R S I T A S w w w. s l u . e d u U N I V E R S I T A S S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 5
At the expanded and
renovated Simon
Recreation center
Fair unites schools
in honoring King
Student leaders from Saint Louis
University and Harris-Stowe State
University organized a fair honoring
the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
in April. The Dream Keepers’ Fair was held
along Compton Avenue between the two
universities and commemorated the 40th
anniversary of King’s assassination.
The student governments of Harris-Stowe
and SLU formed the Dream Keepers Part-nership
last April to raise $10,000 for the Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial
Project in Washington, D.C. Since then, stu-dent
governments from every college and uni-versity
in the St. Louis metropolitan area, as
well as a couple of young professional associa-tions,
have joined the effort. Collectively, they
call themselves the St. Louis Dream Keepers.
Medical professors named
to endowed positions
Two professors at the Saint Louis Univer-sity
School of Medicine recently have
added new titles to their credentials.
Dr. Mark Varvares (Med ’86), chairman of
the department of otolaryngology –
head and
neck surgery, is the inaugural holder of the
Donald and Marlene Jerome Endowed Chair
in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.
The chair is named for Dr. Donald Lee Jerome,
(Med ’61) of Swansea, Ill., and his wife, Marlene. Jerome, a strong supporter of the School of
Medicine, was in private practice as an otolaryngologist in Belleville for 33 years before retir-ing.
Varvares also is director of the Saint Louis University Cancer Center and is conducting
research on head and neck surgical oncology.
Dr. Arthur Labovitz, director of the division of cardiology, is the inaugural Jack Ford Shelby
Endowed Professor in Cardiology. The professorship is named for Jack Ford Shelby, chairman
emeritus of Camie-Campbell Inc., former chairman of the board of the St. Louis Heart As-sociation
and a longtime benefactor of the School of Medicine. Labovitz is director of SLU’s
cardiac imaging laboratory and participates in many research studies that are supported by
the National Institutes of Health and private industry. Over the years, he has made significant
contributions to the diagnosis and management of cardiac disease.
Varvares Labovitz
Doctorow to receive Literary Award
The Saint Louis University Library Associates have selected author E.L. Doctorow as the
recipient of the 2008 Saint Louis Literary Award. A recognized novelist, playwright,
lecturer and essayist, Doctorow’s works include Welcome to Hard Times, The Book of
Daniel, Ragtime, Billy Bathgate, The Waterworks and City of God.
In a career that spans more than three decades, Doctorow’s honors include a National Book
Award, three National Book Critics Circle Awards, two PEN/Faulkner Awards and the presiden-tially
conferred National Humanities Medal.
Now in its 41st year, the Saint Louis Literary Award has been presented to a distinguished list
of literary figures, including Joyce Carol Oates, Saul Bellow, Arthur Miller and John Updike.
The award will be presented Thursday, Oct. 23, in the Anheuser-Busch Auditorium of John and
Lucy Cook Hall. This event is free and open to the public.
New School of Medicine dean named
On April 1, Dr. Philip O. Alderson took the reins as dean of Saint Louis
University School of Medicine. Alderson most recently was the chairman of
the department of radiology at Columbia University and director of radiology
service at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia. He also was the James
Picker Professor of Radiology at the
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